These Dreams
by Ravenheart3
Summary: Rodney has recurring dreams about him and Elizabeth.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

He stared at her in the dim light, his heart racing. She lied on his bed completely naked. She smiled at him as she sat up, giving him a wonderful view of her breasts. He swallowed, trying to wet his suddenly dry throat.

"Rodney," she whispered as she moved off the bed. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of her. He tried to move, but he was rooted to the spot. All he could do was stare at her, amazed she was even here.

"Elizabeth," he whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His last thought was of how she even got into his room before she brought his head down for a searing kiss. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss.

His hands moved slowly up her body to caress her breasts. Her moan caused his arousal to grow and a fire to rage inside him.

It was almost too much for him, but he held himself at bay. This was a dream come true and he didn't want to ruin it. He cared too much for her to rush this.

Elizabeth quickly removed his shirt and set her hands exploring. Her touch set him ablaze and he sucked in a breath. She kissed her way down his body, his mind reeling from the sensory overload. She pushed down his pants and underwear as she took his mouth once again.

Rodney was finally able to move as he stepped out of his pants. He slowly walked her toward the bed, never removing his lips from hers. He lay her down on the bed, trailing kisses down her body, stopping at a breast. He took it into his mouth, causing her to gasp and arch against him. He swirled his tongue around it then turned to her other breast, repeating the process. He smiled as her gasps became low moans of pleasure.

He rose onto his knees and his gaze roamed over her body, taking her in. Her dark hair fanned out on the pillow. Her skin was lit by the bedside lamp, giving her a golden glow. He couldn't get over the fact she was here, with him.

Elizabeth pulled him down for a kiss that nearly sent him over the edge. He moaned into it as his hands moved down her body. He stared into her eyes as he slowly entered her, taking in their darkening.

"Elizabeth," he whispered as he slowly began to move inside her.

He increased his pace and she matched his thrusts. The tension coiled within his stomach, tightening its grip. She moaned his name as her fingers dug into his back. Rodney's heart soared as he stood on a cliff. The inferno which had been building between them engulfed him. She cried out his name, both of them falling off the edge.

Rodney shot up in bed, his heart racing and his face wet with sweat. He stared around his room, taking in the quiet darkness. He breathed heavily as the last vestiges of the dream slowly disappeared.

"Not again," Rodney moaned as he placed his face in his hands. It was the fifth time in a week he'd had the dream. Ever since he had given her the book he had written about her.

He sighed and leaned back against the pillows. He had no idea what to make of these dreams. He knew he had feelings for her. He had tried to hide them, even going so far as to create a world full of blonde women, to no avail. His heart lay with Elizabeth and obviously so did a much lower body part.

Rodney couldn't deny it any longer. He wanted Elizabeth, the only question was: did she want him?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Rodney stepped into the mess hall and his eyes immediately sought out Elizabeth. He saw her sitting with Sheppard and Teyla. He sighed as the three laughed at whatever John had said. He grabbed a tray and placed food upon it. He carried the tray to the nearest table and sat down, facing Elizabeth.

He had no idea when he took it upon himself to watch Elizabeth. They were hardly out of each other's presence and even then, he thought about her. He sighed again and stared at his food.

Maybe I should talk to Kate, he thought as he pushed his fork around on a plate of eggs. Maybe she'll give me some advice on what I should do.

Rodney laughed to himself. She'll probably tell me to talk to Elizabeth and tell her how I feel. That would go over real well.

He shook his head and dug into his eggs. He watched Elizabeth as she drank her coffee and laughed with her friends.

"So you've been having dreams about Dr. Weir," Kate said matter-of-factly.

Rodney rolled his eyes. "Yes, I believe I've stated that. What do I do about it?"

"How long have you been having them?"

Rodney sighed and thought coming here was a bad idea. He hated seeing a shrink, but he needed someone to talk to. Someone who wasn't going to pass it around Atlantis for their entertainment.

"About a week," he answered as he slumped in the chair across from the doctor. He stared at her, hoping and daring her to say something.

"And they're sexual in nature?"

Rodney fought the urge to roll his eyes. This was getting ridiculous. What was she fishing for anyway?

"Yes, very sexual in nature," he snapped, sitting forward and glaring at her. "Can we move on to the part where you tell me what to do or give me something for it?"

Kate smiled as she wrote something down in her notes. He had a sudden impulse to rip the paper away from her and see what she had written. He knew it wouldn't get him anywhere, so he resisted.

"I'm sure you've already figured that out for yourself," she said, looking at him. "It doesn't take a psychiatrist or a genius to know you feel something for Dr. Weir."

"Thank you for clearing that up," Rodney grumbled as he folded his arms across his chest and leaned back into the chair. "Care to tell me how to fix it?"

"You can't stop dreaming, Rodney," Kate said softly. "And it's not good for you to keep yourself from sleeping. You can either tell Elizabeth how you feel or let these dreams continue to plague you."

Rodney stared at the floor. He didn't want to tell Elizabeth how he felt. He wanted to know how she felt, but he didn't. What if she didn't feel the same? What if she did and he didn't know how to handle it? He sighed, feeling lost.

"I need to think about this," he said as he stood. "Figure out how to tell her."

"Don't take too long," Kate said, smiling. "She might not wait forever."

Rodney walked out the door, still wondering if it was a good idea to talk to Kate. He didn't feel any better. If at all, he was more confused and uncertain than before. He hated feeling like this and decided to take his mind off his dreams by working.

Rodney stepped into the lab and sat at his desk, opening his laptop. He glanced at the coffee pot and saw it was empty. He grumbled about no coffee as he got up and made a pot.

"Ah, the workaholic has arrived."

Rodney turned to see Radek enter the lab. He barely glared at the man before turning back to the coffee maker.

"I'm not a workaholic, Radek," he said as he returned to his laptop.

"That differs from opinion of everyone on Atlantis."

"Says you," Rodney said as he stared at the screen.

Radek said nothing as the two got to work.

It was well past lunch and Rodney was still working. He moved between his laptop and the various screens scattered through out the lab. He stumbled over cables and cords twice, cursing everything under the sun afterwards.

He sat down hard in his chair and ran a hand through his hair. His hand came away wet and he griped in irritation. He had been so focused on getting things done, he had forgotten to eat. He glanced at his watch and cursed again. It was well past the lunch hour and his body was letting him know it. A wave of nausea washed over him nearly causing him to vomit.

Grumbling, Rodney saved his work on his laptop and jogged out of the lab. He nearly ran to the mess hall, hoping there would be something to eat.

He burst through the doors barely letting them open to find the room almost empty. He hurried toward the food and saw there was still some left. He sighed in relief and dished some onto a plate. He turned and saw Elizabeth sitting alone, reading what he could only guess were reports. Her hair brushed the shoulders of her red shirt. A plate of food was placed to her left untouched. A mug of coffee was in her right hand, the reports in her left.

Warmth flooded Rodney's cheeks as he remembered the dream from last night. She had looked so beautiful in his dreams, yet nothing could compare to how she looked now. He couldn't take his eyes off her as his heart raced, threatening to break out of his chest. He took a deep breath to calm himself and forced his feet to take a step.

Before he knew it, Rodney stood near Elizabeth's table. She looked up and his heart nearly stopped at the sight of her green eyes.

"Rodney, how are you?" Elizabeth asked, putting her reports down.

"Starving," Rodney said as he sat down without her asking. "I hadn't had anything since breakfast." He dug into his meal barely noticing Elizabeth's wide-eyed expression.

"I take it you missed lunch," she said calmly.

Rodney stopped chewing and stared at her. He swallowed painfully and looked at his food.

"I wasn't watching the time," he said, meeting her gaze. "I was so busy with everything, I let it slip by."

Elizabeth shook her head and he wondered what she must be thinking. He stared at his food again, trying to come up with something to say, but she beat him to it.

"I don't want you to start neglecting your health, Rodney," she said, getting his attention.

"Believe me, I'm not. I don't like passing out anymore than the next person. I just got carried away."

Elizabeth smiled, sending a rush of emotions through him. He wanted to pull her over the table and kiss her right then. It took all his control to stop himself.

"Do you need to be reminded to eat?"

Rodney glared at her. "I know when to eat, Elizabeth. I don't need a babysitter."

Elizabeth smiled again and took a sip of her coffee. He sighed and returned to eating. He doubted going back to work would keep his mind off Elizabeth. Maybe a cold shower would do the trick.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Rodney shot up in bed, sweating. He ran a hand through his wet hair, trying to catch his breath. He groaned as he lied back down on the pillows, the erotic dream slowly leaving his memory. He closed his eyes and sighed.

I can't keep this up, he thought as the image of a naked Elizabeth floated before his mind.

Rodney climbed out of bed and headed into the bathroom for a cold shower. The water hitting his skin woke him instantly and all images and thoughts of Elizabeth fled his mind. In fact, he thought of nothing as he quickly washed himself.

Feeling better, he climbed out of the shower and got dressed. Wanting a cup of coffee crept into his mind and he headed toward the mess hall.

The mess hall was nearly empty at this time of the morning which Rodney was grateful for. He headed toward the food, piling eggs and bacon onto a plate. He poured himself a cup of much needed coffee and headed for a table. He sat near the windows, but faced the doorway.

Rodney was half-way through his breakfast when his skin tingled. He looked up to see Elizabeth enter the mess hall. He watched her as she got her food and coffee. She turned around and caught his gaze. He froze as she headed toward him. The bright smile she sent him caused a fire to spark within him. His heart rate increased as she sat across from him.

"Morning," Elizabeth said. "You're up early."

Rodney blinked himself out of his trance and shook his head. "I'm always up early."

Elizabeth smiled as she sipped her coffee and he wished he was in its place. He turned his gaze to his food only to wonder where his appetite went. He wanted her so much that even his stomach gave up the fight. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Something wrong, Rodney?" Elizabeth asked, her voice filled with concern.

Rodney looked up and saw the worry in those green eyes. He couldn't deny it any longer. He had to tell her what he felt about her and hoped she wouldn't run in the other direction. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and Rodney tried again.

"I have to go," he said instead. He rose from his chair and practically ran for the doors.

Elizabeth stared at the empty place Rodney had just vacated. He'd been acting strangely for the past week and she was concerned. More than concerned, she was worried. Normally, she was able to read him like a book. She knew when he was in a bad mood even if he tried to hide it. She knew something was wrong, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

She sighed and sipped her coffee. She had to get him to tell her what was bothering him. If there was one thing she was good at, it was getting people to talk.

"Good morning, Dr. Weir."

Elizabeth looked up to see Kate standing beside her. She smiled at the doctor and motioned for her to sit beside her.

"Who was sitting there?" Kate asked, nodding toward Rodney's untouched food.

"Rodney," she answered as she sighed. "Something's wrong with him and I don't know what it is. He's never bolted from me before for just asking a question."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "What did you ask him?"

"I asked him what was wrong. He was about to answer, but he ran for the door instead. He's never been afraid to answer a question before, not even from me."

"Maybe he's afraid of how you'll react to the answer," Kate suggested.

Elizabeth stared at Kate. "How does he think I'll react?"

"I have no idea, but he needs to get over it and soon."

Elizabeth realized then that Rodney had seen Kate about his problem. She sighed. It must be bad if it caused him to go to a psychiatrist.

"Poor Rodney," she whispered. "I wish there was something I could do. I can try to force it out of him, but that would only make him clam up more."

"Hopefully, he'll tell you before that happens," Kate said with a smile.

"One can hope," Elizabeth answered, already making plans to get Rodney to open up to her.

Rodney headed into the lab, picked up a beige colored cube and sat in front of his laptop. He stared at the cube, a little bigger than a Rubix cube. Ancient writing was on one side. He ran his thumb over the writing, wondering what the words could mean. He set the cube to one side and stared across the room, drumming his fingers on the table.

"We need to talk," Elizabeth's voice startled him.

Rodney looked up as she stepped into the room, a look of determination in her eyes. He sat back as she closed the gap between them.

What did I do now? Rodney thought as she stood before him.

"About what?" He asked casually as he turned his attention to the cube. He picked it up, turning it around in his hands.

"Whatever is bothering you, Rodney, I want to know," she said, her voice brooking no argument.

Rodney sighed and tossed the cube onto the table. He looked up at her, trying to gauge the best course of action. He knew he couldn't lie to her and say there was nothing wrong. She had the ability to see through him and know his moods. He sighed and stood, the cube forgotten.

"I've had some dreams," he told her slowly, testing her reaction.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow as she folded her arms across her chest. "What about?"

Like I'm going to tell you, Rodney thought. Instead, he said. "Let's just say, I have to take a cold shower when I wake up."

Her eyes widened and her face flushed. He felt his own skin warm at her expression. For some reason, an embarrassed Elizabeth Weir was very arousing. Wanting to hide his growing arousal, Rodney moved away from her and paced.

"Ok," she said calmly, clearing her throat. "It obviously isn't affecting your work, so why are you bothered by them? Everyone has those types of dreams."

"Five times in a week?" Rodney asked, staring at her. "Elizabeth, I have one nearly every night. I had one last night to be exact."

Elizabeth cleared her throat again and looked away. Rodney wanted to comfort her, but he knew it would only cause him to kiss her. He turned away and paced again.

"Who is she, Rodney?"

Rodney stopped pacing and stared at her, his eyes wide. Why did she have to ask him that? Her expression was blank, but he knew she wanted to know. He wanted to tell her it was her he dreamed of, but he was afraid of her reaction. He wanted to hold her and tell her he loved her.

Wanting something to distract him, he went to the table and picked up the cube. He turned it over in his hands mulling over what the words said.

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked as she stepped closer to him.

Her nearness distracted him for a moment, but his brain quickly shifted gears.

"This cube that was brought back had some writing on it," Rodney said, handing her the cube.

"And what does it say?" Elizabeth asked, a smile in her voice. Warmth spread through him at the sound. He pushed his arousal down and concentrated on the cube in her hands.

"For love unspoken," Rodney answered. He had expected an experiment or even a key to some riddle, but this? The expression on Elizabeth's face changed to wistful. "What?"

"Looks like the Ancients had a romantic side," Elizabeth placed a hand on his shoulder. Warmth spread though him at the touch. He closed his eyes, wanting to take her in his arms. He fought the urge and looked at the cube.

"I've been trying to figure out what they meant by that," Rodney said as he picked up the cube. He turned it in his hand. "Except for these words, it's not much to look at. Was it supposed to be a gift to someone?"

Elizabeth took the cube from him, their fingers brushing against each other. A jolt of electricity went through him and he quickly pulled away. He glanced at her as she stared at the cube in surprise. She looked at him, her eyes wide.

"You felt that?" Rodney asked.

"Yes," she whispered, glancing at the cube.

He cleared his throat as a wave of uncertainty washed over him. He looked at anything, but her as his pulse raced.

"You can keep it," he said softly. "I can't do anything with it."

"Thanks," Elizabeth said. "I'll let you get back to work." She headed for the door, but stopped before she went through it. She looked at him, concern for him in her expression. "Don't let the dreams get to you, Rodney. They'll go away in time."

Rodney shook his head as she left. "I doubt it."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

He stood over her, his eyes dark with arousal. His gaze on her warmed her skin like fire. Her heart sped and her breathing quickened as he ran a hand lightly along her naked body. She gasped at the touch and arched her back, wanting more. She closed her eyes as his hands buried themselves in her hair. The touch sent every nerve in her body tingling.

Elizabeth moaned as she felt the touch of his lips on hers. She opened her mouth for him and his tongue slipped inside. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him against her. She ran her hands down his back and around his waist. She grabbed the end of his shirt and pulled it over his head, tossing it to the floor. She deepened the kiss as her hands explored his chest.

Her lips explored his neck as she removed his pants which joined his shirt on the other side of the bed. She ran her hands through his hair as he joined her on the bed. He slowly entered her, sending waves of pleasure through her. She closed her eyes and let the sensations take over as he began to move. She wrapped her legs around his waist, sending him deep inside her.

He increased his pace and she matched his thrusts. The tension coiled within her stomach, tightening its grip. Her heart soared as she stood on a cliff. The inferno which had been building between them engulfed her.

"Rodney!" Elizabeth cried as she woke, sweating. She sat up in bed, breathing hard. She ran a hand through her hair as the dream slowly faded from her mind.

"What was that?"

Rodney stared at the landscape around him. The sound of a waterfall drifted toward him as a gentle breeze rustled through the trees bringing the scent of roses. The grass surrounding him glittered purple when the setting sun hit it. It was a paradise and a perfect place for a picnic.

"Let's move out," Sheppard said as he led the way toward the forest.

Rodney sighed and followed the group. He had avoided Elizabeth this morning, having only a Power Bar for breakfast. He had no idea what to say to her after their mutual jolting from the cube. He knew it meant something, but at this point he didn't know nor care. He'd had another dream last night, even more vivid than the night before.

The planet they were on was barely inhabited. A small town of farmers only numbered a hundred. This mission didn't really require him to be here, but he considered a break from the lab necessary. He also wanted to clear his head.

The forest was cooler, the thick canopy blocking the sun. Some rays poked through lighting the floor in places. Birds sang high above the four as they moved deeper into the forest. A multi-colored bird flew in front of Rodney, startling him. The bird squawked as it dived into a bush. The bush rustled violently then the bird flew out, carrying something in its talons.

"Where exactly are we going?" Rodney asked as he jogged to catch up to the others.

"The village is on the other side of this forest," Teyla answered. "They will put us up for the night while we explore the area."

"How nice of them," Rodney said as he took out his life signs detector. He turned it on and almost at once, dozens of dots shown up on the screen. The town wasn't too much further which was good as far as he was concerned.

The township was more than he expected as they stepped out of the forest. Mud and wood houses were scattered through out the large clearing. People dressed in browns and reds milled about, carrying or pushing various food. The smell of cooking meat drifted toward Rodney causing his stomach to growl.

Three people dressed in white came toward them, cautious smiles on their faces.

"Teyla," a man with long white hair said, his arms outstretched. "How nice to see you again. It has been many years."

"Many years, Eland," Teyla said as the man embraced her. "These are my friends. We are hoping that you will set us up for the night while we explore the area."

"Why would you need to explore the area?" The man said as he looked the group over. "We can tell you all you need to know."

"There might've been something you overlooked," Rodney put in, earning looks from everyone.

"We will provide beds for the night," Eland said. "We do not know what you expect to find here, since we have been over the entire area, but you are more than welcome to search."

"Thank you," Teyla said with a slight bow.

"This way," Eland said, smiling. He led the group deeper into the town and Rodney took in the sights around him. The people appeared to be friendly, smiling and nodding as they walked by.

They passed a blacksmith's shop, the sound of metal on metal rang in Rodney's ears. Vendors shouted their wares, everything from fish to fruit. His stomach growled again and he stopped at a vendor selling what looked like apples. Their redness called to him and his mouth watered.

"How much?" Rodney asked as he stared at one shiny red fruit.

"McKay!" Sheppard yelled back to him.

Rodney rolled his eyes as John jogged up to him. "I was just getting something to eat. I'm starving."

"You can wait a bit longer," John said. "Let's go."

"Great. If I pass out, it'll be on your head," Rodney grumbled as he followed Sheppard back to the group.

"You won't pass out," John said.

"Is everything all right?" Eland asked as they rejoined the group.

"Just fine," John answered, causing Rodney to roll his eyes.

"It is not much farther," Eland said, continuing down the street they were on. "It was just built two years ago. It has been used by our farmers who live on the outskirts of our township. I'm sure the innkeeper will not mind putting you up for the night."

"Thank you, Eland," Teyla said again. "We are very grateful."

The inn was on the end of the street off by itself. It was small, only one story. It appeared sturdy being made mostly of bricks of mud and a thatched roof. Two poles topped with torches stood in front of the building.

They stepped inside the lobby which was lit by small sconces on the walls. A fireplace in front of them was burning; the scent of cooking food came from a cauldron placed above the fire. Rodney's stomach growled again as a middle-aged man came up to them.

"Eland, what have you brought me?" The man said, practically beaming.

"A few friends who want to stay the night," Eland said.

"You're in luck, for I have two rooms available," the man said.

"We'll take them," John said as he glanced at the group.

"Can we get some food with those rooms?" Rodney asked.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"Elizabeth!" Rodney shouted as he sat up in bed, covered in sweat. He glanced around the unfamiliar surroundings, the moon spilling into the room from one window. His gaze fell on John Sheppard staring at him as if he had lost his mind.

"Oh, crap," he whispered and plopped back against the pillows.

"What the hell was that?" Sheppard asked.

Rodney closed his eyes and wished the floor would open up and swallow him. The last thing he wanted was to tell John about his very erotic dreams about Elizabeth. The man would probably either laugh or kill him; neither which sounded good to Rodney.

"You don't want to know," he said instead and hoped that was enough. Obviously it wasn't for when Rodney opened his eyes, Sheppard still stared at him with an expression of impatience.

Great, Rodney sighed and sat up. How am I going to explain this one?

"Was it a nightmare?" John asked.

Rodney laughed. "Quite the opposite, really."

John raised an eyebrow and Rodney felt his face become warm. The scientist looked away, but it was too late. John had seen it.

"Don't tell me it was one of _those_ dreams?"

Rodney would have laughed at John's paling expression if it wasn't directed at him. Again, he wanted the floor to open up and put him out of his misery.

"I've had it nearly everyday for over a week," he said quietly.

John cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Have you told her?"

Rodney stared at John. "Are you kidding me? I've only told her it was a dream, not who it was about. I don't have that great of a death wish."

"I doubt she'd kill you, Rodney."

"No, but it'd be close enough and I don't want to give her that chance."

John sighed and tossed his legs over the edge of his bed. "If you have feelings for her, McKay, then tell her."

Rodney ran a hand through his hair. When had this gotten so complicated?

"I can't tell her," he said with a sigh of his own. "What if she doesn't feel the same way?"

"You'll never know otherwise. It'll continue to eat at you if you don't."

Rodney said nothing. He knew he should tell her, but the possibilities of how she'd react were too much for him. He knew he wouldn't be able to take it if she threw it in his face.

"Do you think you can work?" John asked calmly.

Rodney nodded and got out of bed. He quickly dressed and stepped out of the room. Ronon stood in the hallway, his arms across his chest. The taller man stared at him, an eyebrow raised.

"Heard you shout," Ronon said softly. "Nightmares?"

Is everyone interested in my love life? Rodney thought irritably. "Yes, nightmares. What's for breakfast?"

Ronon snorted and pushed himself from the wall. He turned and headed down the hall. Rodney shook his head and followed the tall man as John and Teyla left their rooms. They entered the main room and the smell of food filled Rodney's nose. He breathed it in and his mouth watered.

"Ah, you're awake," the innkeeper said as they entered the room. "Come. Sit. Eat."

The innkeeper motioned toward a nearby wooden table and the group sat around it. Plates were placed in front of them as a maid dished out some food from a cauldron. Rodney eyed the food with suspicion even though it smelled like heaven.

"What is this?" He asked as he poked at it with a fork.

"It is a specialty of mine," the innkeeper replied. "It is a mixture of Rotan eggs, sausage and beef."

Rodney watched as the others devoured it like ravenous wolves. He tasted a small portion of the gruel and was pleasantly surprised. He smiled slightly and dug in.

An hour later, the group left the inn and headed through the township. The sun was barely in the sky and people were already out shopping and selling.

The morning breeze was calming to Rodney, soothing away the vivid images of the dream. He didn't think he could take much more of these dreams before they began to impinge on his job.

They left the town and headed away from the rising sun. Rodney brought up the rear, his laptop balancing on his left arm. He stared at the screen as the computer booted up. After a moment, he typed some keys and the screen changed to give him a layout of the area. The community was behind them and in front of them stood several miles of forest.

"I don't see what we'd be able to find here," Rodney said as he moved closer to the front of the line. "There's nothing here."

"What about readings?" Sheppard asked as he ducked under a low branch.

Rodney moved around the tree as he quickly typed on the keyboard. He stared at the screen then scoffed, shaking his head.

"I'm picking up some energy readings," he said. "Up ahead to the right."

Sheppard nodded and picked up the pace. Rodney kept one eye on the computer and the other on where he was going. The readings were getting stronger the closer they got. He smiled slightly to himself as they left the road, heading toward the right.

"We're getting closer," Rodney said, practically jogging as his excitement grew. Finally, something interesting on this boring planet.

He moved ahead of Sheppard, leading the way to their destination. He stopped suddenly, Sheppard nearly colliding into him. He stared at the screen then the tangle of vines before him.

"We're here," Rodney said as he handed John his laptop. He pulled away the vines and overgrown vegetation to reveal an entrance to a cave. He was barely able to hold back his glee as he looked around for a light source.

"It's dark in there," he said. He spotted a thick stick and picked it up. Pulling some cloth from the many pockets on his vest, he wrapped it around the stick.

"Light?" John asked, handing Rodney his lighter.

"Thanks," he said and lit the cloth.

"You're going in there?" John asked in disbelief.

"Yes," Rodney said, staring at John as if he were an idiot. Without another word, Rodney ducked into the cave, torch lighting the way.

The sight that greeted him made him speechless. The cave was small, barely the size of the mess hall. The walls were smooth and beige in color, the floor covered in sand. In the center of the cavern was a sandstone pedestal. On top of the plinth sat an artifact the size of a hardback book.

"You've got to see this," Rodney called as he took a step toward the pedestal.

Elizabeth played Solitaire on her computer, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't get the dream out of her head.

Where did they come from and why am I dreaming them?

She had been worried about Rodney lately. His staff had reported he had been distracted recently, his missing lunch was very telling. Had it anything to do with his own dreams? She needed him to tell her more.

"Unscheduled off world activation," the words brought her out of her thoughts.

Elizabeth placed her laptop on her desk and hurried to the balcony. She braced herself against the railing as she waited for the IDC to be revealed.

"Reading John Sheppard's IDC."

"Lower the shield," she said as she left the balcony and headed down the steps. A pang of dread made its way down her spine. The only reason anyone would return early was something had gone wrong. She held her breath as she stood in the Gate room, hoping that everyone was all right.

The shield was lowered and her worse fears were realized.

"Medical emergency! Rodney's been hit," Sheppard's voice was followed quickly by Teyla rushing through the gate.

"What happened?" Elizabeth asked, her voice not hiding the fear she felt.

"Dr. McKay was shot by an arrow," Teyla answered.

Sheppard came through the wormhole carrying Rodney by the arms. A second later came the rest of Rodney followed by Ronon carrying the scientist's feet.

Elizabeth stood frozen as she stared at Rodney. An arrow was imbedded in his chest and the fear twisted tighter in her stomach. She barely heard or saw Beckett and his team place Rodney on a gurney and wheel him away. She stared into space not realizing the looks Sheppard and the others were giving her.

"Elizabeth," John's soft voice brought her back to reality. She blinked and looked at Sheppard.

"Are you all right?"

"How did it happen?" Elizabeth asked, going into leader mode in order to hide her fear.

"He found a cave and being his overeager scientific self, went inside first," Sheppard answered as the group headed toward the infirmary. "He wanted us to see what he found and when we did, Rodney was lying on his back with an arrow in his chest."

"We believe the arrow might have been poisoned, so we hurried back here as fast as possible," Teyla put in.

Elizabeth nodded, her stomach churning. She took a deep breath to calm herself as she entered the infirmary. Carson was already at work saving Rodney. She stood watching as Carson gave orders to his staff.

There's nothing I can do now, she thought then left the infirmary.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Rodney slowly opened his eyes to find himself in the infirmary. He glanced around and saw he was alone. He faintly heard Carson's voice, probably talking to a nurse. He sighed and tried to sit up only to have a sharp pain slice through his chest. He cried out and lay back down.

"Rodney?" Carson came around the corner, surprised to see Rodney awake. He checked the scientist's vitals then checked the bandaged wound.

"It's coming along nicely," Carson said as he changed the bandage. "You'll be out of here tomorrow."

"How about today?" Rodney asked. "I have work to do."

"Work that can wait till you're well."

Rodney rolled his eyes and stared at the ceiling. Where is Elizabeth?

"She's in her office, I believe, lad," Carson answered.

Rodney stared at him. Did he say that aloud? Obviously so, if Carson answered. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"I can ask her to come down if you want," Carson offered.

Rodney stared at him and wished he hadn't. There was a knowing look in the doctor's eyes and it made him uneasy. He shook his head and looked away. He didn't want any more people to know he had feelings for Elizabeth.

"She doesn't know, does she?" Carson asked.

"No and she's not going to, either," Rodney glared at Carson.

Carson sighed. "All right, Rodney, but you can't keep it bottled up." 

"Are you a shrink now?"

"No, just some advice."

"Good," Rodney said and turned away as much as the bed allowed. He closed his eyes and let sleep take over.

Rodney stood on the balcony, the rain coming down in sheets. He stared across the city, a flash of lightening illuminating the sky. The thunder came a moment later and he leaned against the wall, folding his arms across his chest. The smell of the rain and the ocean filled his nose.

A hand fell on his shoulder and he turned to see Elizabeth smiling at him. He smiled at her, his heart racing. The lightening flashed causing a glow across her face. He took her face in his hands and kissed her with all the passion he could muster.

Elizabeth moaned into the kiss, opening her mouth to him. His tongue dueled with hers as his hands buried themselves in her hair. He walked her backward until she was against the wall. He deepened the kiss as his hands slowly moved down her body. He pulled her shirt over her head, dropping it on the floor. Her bra followed and he stepped back to take her in.

"Elizabeth," he whispered as a fire built inside him. Wanting to feel her against him, Rodney pulled his shirt off, tossing it to the floor.

Rodney pulled her against him, kissing her deeply. He drew her out into the down pour, the rain barely cooling his heated blood. He kissed along her throat and down her chest, taking a breast into his mouth. She arched against him, giving him more of herself. She moaned his name, her hands digging into his hair.

Elizabeth yanked his pants down and he stepped out of them, kicking them aside. Her pants followed as thunder sounded in the distance.

Rodney lifted her, her legs wrapping around his waist. She lowered herself upon him, moaning as he entered her. He stood still as he savored the sensation of her around him. It felt good to be inside her. It was wonderful to be with Elizabeth.

She slowly rose up then moved back down. He moaned as she moved. He thrust up into her, her moans urging him on.

He took her mouth again as he pushed her back against the wall. He grabbed her hips as he increased his pace. Their tongues matched the movements of their lower bodies.

Elizabeth dug her nails into his back as she called out his name. Rodney thrust deep inside her as he released everything he had.

Rodney sat up in bed, crying out Elizabeth's name. Carson appeared beside him as he lied back down, breathing hard. He blinked several times as Carson checked his pulse.

"What the hell happened?" Carson asked.

"It was nothing," Rodney said.

"Must have been some nothing. You're grasping the bed sheets for dear life."

Rodney stared down at his sides and saw his hands clasping the sheets. He took a deep breath as he slowly unclenched his fists.

"It's just a dream," he said as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Some dream. You called Dr. Weir's name."

Rodney closed his eyes in dismay. This was getting out of hand. If this kept up, everyone would know about his erotic dreams. He ran his hands through his hair.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said softly. "I'd also appreciate it if you'd forget about it."

"Well, I doubt I can forget it, but I won't tell anyone."

Rodney stared at Carson and saw in the other man's eyes he told the truth. He nodded in thanks.

"Can I go now?" He asked.

"You should take it easy," Carson suggested as he handed the scientist his clothes. "You might open up the wound if you..."

"I'm going to be walking around in the lab," Rodney interrupted, taking his clothes. "I'm not going to go a round with Ronon."

"Still, I told Elizabeth to suspend your off world adventures until I give you a complete clean bill of health."

"You what?" Rodney glared at the doctor, barely keeping himself from hitting the man. What was Carson thinking? He couldn't stay behind. He'd go stir crazy, knowing his team was on some planet while he was behind in the lab babysitting his staff.

"I can't in good conscience have you go off world and take the chance that you might open that wound. There are too many possibilities, especially if you get attacked by hostile natives."

"And Elizabeth agreed with you?"

"Yes," Carson said, walking away. "She doesn't want her best scientist to be unconscious for another three days or worse."

"I thought she would have said favorite scientist," Rodney said earning a laugh from Carson. The scientist rolled his eyes and hurriedly dressed not wanting to stay in the infirmary for another minute.

Rodney left the infirmary and headed for his lab. He wanted to know if the book-sized artifact had been brought back. Carson said it had been three days since that mission. Plenty of time to go back and retrieve it. His excitement grew as he thought of what the artifact could be.

A written history, Rodney thought as he picked up his pace. A way to fight the Wraith, it could be anything.

He entered his lab to find a few of his staff working. Zelenka looked up from his laptop and offered a slight smile.

"Couldn't wait to get back to work?"

Rodney rolled his eyes. "Where is it?"

Radek stared at him in confusion. "Where is what?"

"The artifact that was brought back from the planet we went to three days ago. It's the size of a hardback book."

Radek blinked then shook his head. "Nothing of that size was brought back."

Rodney stared at the other scientist, who only continued to look at him in confusion. Why wouldn't they have brought it back? It was something of importance. It had to be if who ever put it there set a trap around it. It only made sense.

"Are you sure?" Rodney asked, feeling desperate. They couldn't have forgotten about it.

"Completely."

Rodney shook his head and left the lab. If he wanted answers, he had to talk to Elizabeth and John. They would know if the book was brought back.

Elizabeth sat in her office reading Sheppard's report for a recent mission. She had already read it an hour ago, but she needed something to take her mind off of the dreams she had been having. They were increasing with intensity and frequency.

She sighed and tossed the report on her desk. She stood and stretched the muscles in her back, closing her eyes in pleasure. She looked out her glass wall down into the gate room. A shiver went through her as she remembered the sight that greeted her three days ago. She should be used to teams returning with wounded, but she knew better. She always worried about those who went out on missions, but those on Sheppard's team she worried about more.

One especially I agonize about the most, Elizabeth thought as she turned around and saw the very person standing in her office.

"Rodney," she said surprised and relieved to see him. "What is it?"

She watched as the wheels turned behind his blue eyes. She saw the emotions playing across them and she wondered if Carson told him about their decision to keep him on Atlantis.

He strode forward, stopping before the desk separating them. He was silent for a moment as he folded his arms across his chest.

"I found a book-sized artifact on that mission three days ago. Did anyone bring it back?"

Elizabeth blinked. So that was what this was about. She sighed and sat down, motioning for him to do the same. He sat across from her, trying to keep himself from fidgeting. She smiled to herself, knowing he was nervous.

"They didn't bring it back, Rodney. I'm sorry," she said, hating the expression that crossed his face. "They didn't think it was worth going back for."

"Not worth it?" Rodney almost shouted. "That book could have contained the history of the Ancients! It could have contained their stories, their battle plans, more addresses."

"They didn't want to risk someone else getting hurt, Rodney," Elizabeth said, knowing she had to keep calm. Getting angry at him would only make him angrier or worse, quiet. That was the last thing she needed him to be. "There could still be traps placed around the artifact. We can't risk it."

Rodney stared at her, his eyes dark with emotion. She held her breath, waiting for him to do or say something. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he stood and walked out. Elizabeth leaned back in her chair and sighed.

So much for not making him angry, Elizabeth thought.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Rodney stalked back toward his lab, his mind racing. He couldn't believe no one would go back for the artifact. Didn't they know how important it might be? How many traps could there be anyway?

He thought about going back for the artifact himself, but he'd probably be stopped before he even had the gate dialed.

"Told you," Radek said as Rodney entered the lab.

"Shut up," he snapped as he went to his laptop.

"Someone's testy," Radek said softly.

"Yes," Rodney glared at Radek, "when someone tells you that you can't go off world and then they tell you the artifact you found isn't worth going back for, you'd be testy, too. More than testy."

Radek said nothing and Rodney went back to staring at his screen.

Rodney was well past bad-tempered when lunch rolled around. He had snapped at most of his staff through the morning and they had given him a wide berth afterwards. He almost heard their sigh of relief when he finally left for the mess hall.

He entered the dining room to find it crowded with people. He grumbled to himself as he got something to eat. His eyes instantly sought out Elizabeth as he left the line. He saw her eating with Sheppard and Carson in the center of the room.

Rodney sighed. Even when I'm mad at her I want to see her. He shook his head and found himself a table.

It wasn't long before someone sat across from him. He looked up from his meal to find John Sheppard in front of him. Rodney glared at the other man, but Sheppard was unfazed.

"How're you feeling?"

Rodney stared at Sheppard, caught off guard by the question. He took a sip of his coffee as he gathered his thoughts.

"I was just told that the book I found wasn't brought back. How do you think I feel?"

Sheppard leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "I didn't want to risk tripping another trap, Rodney. It was too dangerous to go back to the cave."

"There's a way to trip all the traps without anyone getting hurt," Rodney stated, his mind working overtime. "Let me figure out how to do it and then we can go back and get the artifact."

"You're not allowed to go off world, McKay. Doctor's orders."

Rodney rolled his eyes, not wanting his idea to be shot down so soon. "I can get Carson to give me a clean bill of health, so I can go. Just let me try."

Sheppard stared at Rodney. "We've gone down this road before and it was a disaster. I'm not doing it again."

"It's not going to be like that," Rodney said. "I just…"

"How's the dreams?" Sheppard interrupted.

Rodney glared at him. "I had another one this morning. Now Carson knows."

Sheppard smiled and Rodney wanted to knock it off his face. His erotic dreams weren't a form of entertainment. He wished he'd told no one about them in the first place.

"You need to tell her, McKay," Sheppard said. "She needs to know."

"That I'm having dreams about her or that I have feelings for her?"

"Both," Sheppard said as he snatched a piece of bread from Rodney's tray.

"Not going to happen," he said as he pulled his tray closer to himself. "She'd run for the hills if she knew either one."

"You don't know that," Sheppard said, chewing on the bread. "Tell her and find out."

Rodney stared at the other man. He'd heard that from three different people several times. He sighed and glanced over at Elizabeth, who was still talking to Carson. He had no idea what she felt for him other than close friendship. He didn't want to lose that if it was all she felt and he told her his feelings.

"I've already been over this," he said, staring at his food. "She doesn't need to know how I feel about her."

"You're stubborn," Sheppard said. "Too stubborn for your own good."

John left the table, leaving Rodney alone with his thoughts. He pushed his food around the tray, feeling worse than he did that morning.

Elizabeth woke with a start, her heart racing and her body covered in sweat. She sat up in bed, running a hand through her soaked hair. She had the dream again and she swore she actually climaxed. She took a deep breath to steady herself and climbed out of bed. Something caught her eye as she headed for the bathroom.

She turned and on her nightstand was the cube Rodney had given her. It glowed a light blue. She picked it up, turning it over in her hands. Why was it gleaming? How long had it been doing this?

"Rodney," Elizabeth whispered and quickly dressed. She'd been having these dreams ever since he had given the cube to her. Maybe the two were connected. Either way, she had to tell him.

Elizabeth found Rodney in his lab, working on a device. It was the size of a life signs detector, but was azure in color. The rest of his staff had long since gone to bed, leaving him to himself. He hadn't seen her come in, so she took this opportunity to watch him.

He had the machine plugged into his laptop and he was going back and forth between them. She stepped further into the lab and glanced over his shoulder at the screen. She raised an eyebrow when he looked up at her.

"Elizabeth," he said, surprised. "What brings you here?"

"This," she said, holding out the cube which was no longer shimmering. "I woke up to find this glowing."

"Really?" Rodney asked, his expression changing to curiosity as he looked at the cube.

"I don't know what's making it glow and I don't know why," she said as he took the cube from her. "All I know is that I've been having intense dreams and they started when you gave me that."

Rodney stared at her in stunned silence then back at the cube. He turned it over in his hands just as she had done earlier. She watched him, knowing the wheels were already spinning in his head.

"What kind of dreams?" Rodney asked as he set the cube down on the table. He looked at her, his blue eyes searching her face.

Elizabeth sighed and paced. She didn't know how to tell him she dreamed about him making love to her. "They're intense as I've said. They seem very real until I wake up."

She stopped behind him and looked at the computer screen. She glanced at the device and narrowed her eyes. He couldn't be doing what she thought, could he?

"What are you doing?" Elizabeth asked calmly.

Rodney blinked, obviously caught off guard by her sudden change in direction. He stared at his computer then back at her.

"I thought we made it clear you weren't to go off world, Rodney," she said, folding her arms. "I also don't want you to go back to that planet. That's what you're planning, aren't you?"

Rodney rolled his eyes and looked away. She smiled to herself, knowing she caught him doing something he shouldn't. She pushed it aside, though, for this was too serious a situation. She didn't want him to get hurt again.

"Elizabeth, that book could be extremely important," he said, standing and looking intently at her. Warmth spread through her as she stared into his eyes. She could never get over how blue they were. She put the thought aside and turned away from him.

"It's too dangerous, Rodney," she said, looking at him.

"If those traps are technologically based, which I believe they are, this device will disable them," he said, pointing to the object in question. "If you'll just let me go, I'll have the artifact before morning."

"No," Elizabeth said, stepping closer to him. How could he do this to her? After all they've been through how could he throw his life away for some ridiculous object?

"No?" Rodney repeated, staring at her as if she'd lost her mind. "You really want to pass up this opportunity to bring something valuable back here? Because of a few traps?""

Elizabeth shook her head not believing what she heard. He was willing to risk his life for something that might not even be anything. She wasn't about to let him do it. She stepped closer to him and stared into his blue eyes.

"I'm not going to cater to your ego, Rodney. You're not leaving Atlantis for something that might be worthless."

Rodney stared at her, his expression a mixture of shock and hurt. She hated herself for putting that look on his face, but she didn't want to lose him. She would if he went back to the planet.

"Fine," he said, unplugging the device and tossing it on the table. He didn't look at her as he sat in front of his computer.

Elizabeth opened her mouth, but she didn't know what she could say that would fix the pain she'd caused. She sighed and quietly left the lab.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

The Gate room was quiet thanks to the late hour, no teams were expected to arrive or leave. Rodney made his way up the stairs to the DHD, keeping an eye out in case someone happened to enter the room. He took a deep breath as he stared at the symbols. He searched his mind for the address of the planet he needed then punched it in. He watched as the gate activated then he moved quickly down the steps, pulling on his backpack as he went.

He took a deep breath as he stared at the watery event horizon. He glanced behind him, taking in the empty room.

"I'll prove it's not worthless," Rodney whispered before he stepped through the gate.

The sun nearly blinded him as he stepped out on the other side. He put up his hand to block the sun as he blinked several times. He grumbled to himself as he pulled out his laptop and turned it on.

"Come on," Rodney griped as he waited for the computer to boot up. He walked toward the town, knowing the artifact was near it. The computer beeped a moment later and he glanced at it. "'bout time."

He typed on the keys as he headed into the forest, ignoring the changing colors of the grass around him. The birds sang, but he didn't hear them as he saw the readings on the screen. He smiled to himself as he headed in the direction the readings were coming from.

"She'll eat her words when I show her this," Rodney said as he ducked under a low hanging branch. "It won't be worthless. I'm not worthless."

The beeping on the computer increased and he knew he was close. His excitement grew with each step he took. He picked up his pace; keeping one eye on the readings and the other on anything he might trip over.

Not long now, Rodney thought as he went around a tree and saw the cave up ahead. He grinned as he jogged toward the entrance.

"There you are," he said as he placed the laptop on the ground and brought out the device he had worked on. He turned it on and pointed it toward the cave. He pressed a few buttons and the machine beeped.

"Now, let's see if I'm right," Rodney shoved the vines aside and entered the cave. He stopped a few feet from the pedestal and glanced at the instrument in his hand. He smiled slightly as the readings on the screen told him there were three traps around the artifact. The fourth he had tripped three days ago. He shook his head and pressed a few more buttons.

Rodney glanced up, trying to spot the traps around the cave. After several minutes of squinting and a growing headache, he gave up. He had to give it to who ever set them up; they knew how to hide them.

He heard several clicks echo through out the cave and saw dust fall from the cave ceiling. His excitement grew, almost overwhelming him. The device was working.

The machine beeped again and he looked at the screen. He smiled to himself as he read there were no traps in the cave.

"The moment of truth," Rodney whispered and cautiously stepped further into the cave. He looked around, dust and dirt settling about him. He took a deep breath as he made his way toward the pedestal. "No turning back now."

He stood before the artifact, his heart racing with both excitement and trepidation. He knew once he made it back, Elizabeth would tear him a new one for disobeying her. Still, he couldn't resist getting his hands on the book. Once she saw it and what it contained, she would forget what she said to him.

Rodney gently picked up the book, noticing the thing was heavier than he first thought. It must weigh at least thirty pounds. He carried it out of the cave, back to where he left his laptop and backpack. Opening his backpack, he shoved the artifact inside. He placed the device in the many pockets on his vest and carried his computer. Grunting, he pulled the backpack over his shoulder and headed toward the gate.

"Too dangerous my ass," Rodney said, smiling.

He made it to the gate without incident and dialed Atlantis. He took a deep breath and watched as the gate activated. He moved toward the gate as the horizon formed.

Where the hell is he? A voice stopped him in his tracks. He stared at the gate, wondering where the voice had come from. It sounded like Elizabeth and she was upset.

When I get my hands on him…

Rodney backed away from the gate as if it had bit him. Were those her thoughts he heard? How was that possible?

"Rodney," Elizabeth's voice came to his ear. "Tell me that's not you on the other side of the gate."

Rodney sighed and touched his earpiece. "Can't do that, sorry."

Oh, hell, Rodney heard Elizabeth's thought and a sense of unease went through him. What had happened that caused him to hear her thoughts? Could she hear his?

"Get back here, now, Rodney, and we'll discuss how much trouble you're in."

Rodney rolled his eyes. "What am I, five years old?"

"Get back here, McKay. Now."

He blinked at the gate and knew he was in it now. He didn't remember the last time she used his last name.

This isn't good, he thought as he stepped into the gate.

Rodney found himself in the gate room staring at an angry Elizabeth Weir. Her arms were folded under her breasts and her eyes were narrowed. He sighed as he stepped toward her.

"Elizabeth," he began, but she raised her hand to silence him.

"My office, now," she said and turned around.

Rodney glanced around the room and saw Sheppard and Carson staring back at him. John shook his head as he folded his arms across his chest. Carson said nothing.

Great, he thought as he followed Elizabeth to her office. This is going to go well.

Elizabeth closed the door after him and went to her desk. She sat on the edge, not looking at him for several minutes. He watched her, his unease growing.

"I can't tell you how frightened I was to find you weren't anywhere on Atlantis," Elizabeth said, finally looking at him. "I had hoped you hadn't gone to that planet, but to find that you did. Rodney, how could you?"

Rodney stared at her, the words he wanted to say were in his head, but his mouth wouldn't form them. He sighed and placed his backpack on her desk.

"If you will just take a look at it…"

"You disobeyed me," Elizabeth interrupted, her eyes narrowing. "You went right under my nose and went to that planet when I told you not to. How do you think that makes me feel?"

Rodney looked at her. He had thought she'd be angry with him, even disappointed. Scared had never crossed his mind.

"It makes me think that you don't take me seriously," she continued.

"I take you very seriously," Rodney said, taking a step closer. "I respect you, even admire you. I would never think any less of you?"

Elizabeth sighed and glanced at the backpack. "You really think this is important?"

Rodney moved toward the pack, his gears shifting quickly. He opened the pack as he spoke. "I think it is. As soon as I get this to the lab and have it analyzed we will see how important it is."

He pulled out the artifact and placed it on the desk. He watched as Elizabeth's eyes widened and he couldn't help, but smile. He loved that expression on her face. He grew warm as she ran a finger along the edge of the book. His heart rate increased and he moved away from her as his arousal grew. He closed his eyes and tried to force the arousal down.

Elizabeth, stop, he thought as he took a deep breath to calm himself.

He opened his eyes and Elizabeth stared at him, a surprised look on her face.

"Are you all right?" Rodney asked as he stepped toward her.

Elizabeth cleared her throat and moved away from him. "I want to help. If you are right about this, I want in on it."

Rodney smiled and raised an eyebrow. He knew she would come around, but he hadn't considered her wanting to help. He'd appreciate her assistance, knowing she was better at Ancient than he was.

"I'd appreciate your help, Elizabeth," he said, putting his hands behind his back. "I doubt anyone will act up with you there."

Elizabeth smiled and a flame burst within him. He loved that smile and he knew he would need a cold shower before he got back to work.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Rodney stared at his computer screen as the Ancient writing scrolled before him. He knew the artifact would contain a lot of information, but he hadn't thought it would contain this much. He shook his head and leaned back in his chair.

"This is going to take awhile," he said as Elizabeth stood beside him. Her presence soothed his irritation and he was glad she was with him.

"We'll take it a little at a time, Rodney," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Warmth flooded his very being and he closed his eyes. He wanted so much to take her in his arms and love her right then.

"I guess we'll start at the beginning then," he said with a sigh.

"Good a place as any," she said.

Rodney nodded and typed on the keyboard. The beginning paragraphs came up on the screen. He moved away so Elizabeth could read it. He smelled her perfume and he thought maybe letting her help was a bad idea. If he was aroused by just her perfume and her nearness then he was in serious trouble. He wouldn't be able to work on anything.

He quickly stood and moved as far away from her as he dared. He didn't want her to know how turned on by her he was.

"Are you all right?" Elizabeth asked, looking at him.

"Fine," he squeaked then cleared his throat. "I just want to check on something. Don't let me stop you, keep reading."

She nodded, still staring at him with a concerned expression. He smiled then turned and headed into a different section of the lab.

She's going to be the death of me, Rodney thought as he glanced at a read-out of another artifact they had found recently. He shook his head and wondered why they had even brought the thing back. It hadn't worked or done anything.

"Rodney, come here!" Elizabeth called.

Rodney hurried around the corner and was at her side in record time. She pointed at the screen as she talked.

"If I'm reading this right, this is only one artifact of three."

Rodney stared at the screen in surprise. He hadn't been expecting this. His excitement grew as Elizabeth continued.

"Once together the artifacts create a power source."

"Does it mention addresses?" Rodney asked as he scanned through the writing.

"It will take some time to translate the rest of it, but I believe there should be."

Rodney looked at Elizabeth and couldn't help the grin that formed on his face. A new power source would help immensely. No more worrying about draining the ZPM. Elation surged through him at the thought of getting his hands on those artifacts.

"I'll get us lunch," he said, tearing himself away from the screen.

Rodney was out the door before Elizabeth was able to say a word. He jogged down the hall, his mind racing through the possibilities of having a better power source. He barely noticed the looks he received as he made his way to the mess hall.

Once in the mess hall, he headed toward the serving line, grabbing two trays on the way. He was so focused on piling food onto the trays he didn't notice Sheppard come up beside him.

"You really must be hungry," Sheppard said, startling the scientist. "Or are you eating with someone this time?"

Rodney glared at Sheppard, who smiled smugly. "If you must know, Elizabeth and I are working on the artifact I brought back. I'm bringing us lunch."

"Really?" Sheppard said, folding his arms across his chest. "You keep telling yourself that, Rodney."

Rodney shook his head and picked up the two trays. "This is not a date, Sheppard. This is work."

"Lie to yourself all you want, but you know deep down that unless you tell her how you feel, this will be as close to a date with her as you will get."

"Don't you have a beating to get to with Teyla?" Rodney asked as he headed out of the room.

Rodney entered the lab and Elizabeth still sat in front of his computer. He took the opportunity to admire her as she translated the Ancient writing.

She twirled a lock of dark hair around her finger then she quickly jotted something down on a piece of paper. She was focused on her task and he hated to interrupt her. He cleared his throat, getting her attention.

"I brought you some food," he said, closing the gap between them. He set the trays on the table behind her and handed her a plate. "I didn't know what you might want, so I got a little bit of everything."

"Thanks," Elizabeth said, taking the plate. She offered him her charming smile again and his heart skipped a beat. He cleared his throat again and grabbed a plate of his own to distract himself with. "I believe I might have found an address."

"Really?" Rodney asked, a grape paused half-way to his mouth. "Where?"

"Here," Elizabeth handed him the piece of paper and he glanced at the address. He looked back at her, an eyebrow raised.

"I know," she said with a shrug. "We haven't been there, yet, but I'm sure it's in the database. We just have to check it."

"I'll do that right now," Rodney said, putting his plate back on the tray. Elizabeth grabbed his arm.

"Eat, Rodney," she said, her eyes telling him not to argue, for he wouldn't win. "I'm not going to have you pass out on me."

"Right," he said and sat down. He sighed and picked up his plate. "I guess the database isn't going anywhere."

"No, it isn't," she laughed, causing his breath to catch and his pulse to speed up. He looked at her as she ate and he couldn't get over how beautiful she was. He almost wanted to tell her how he felt, almost.

"The planet is definitely in the database," Rodney said, turning away from the large screen in the briefing room. "It hasn't been inhabited by anyone in centuries, so running into natives won't be a problem. I can go there, get the artifact and come back."

"You're not going, Rodney," Elizabeth said, folding her arms across her chest. She narrowed her eyes at him and he couldn't decide whether to be angry with her or kiss her.

"Elizabeth, we've been over this," he said, rolling his eyes. "I can get it faster if I go alone. I won't be gone more than an hour, two at the most."

Elizabeth stood and closed the gap between them. His heart raced at her nearness, threatening to burst out of his chest. He stared at her, hoping he looked agitated or at the very least, annoyed.

"You are still restricted from going off world, Rodney," she told him. "I'm not about to let you go anywhere."

"Then I'll take Carson with me," he said, frustrated. "Hell, I'll even take John if it'll make you feel better. They both can babysit me."

Elizabeth appeared to fight a smile and he knew he had her. "Fine, Rodney, you can go, but I want you back here in two hours."

Rodney smiled, his exhilaration on overload. "Great, thanks." He left the briefing room as Elizabeth called his babysitters.

"You ready?" Sheppard said as Rodney strode into the gate room, carrying his backpack. He glared at Sheppard, wishing for once that the man didn't look so smug.

"Of course," Rodney answered.

"You know the only reason you're going is because we'll be with you," Sheppard said, pointing toward Carson, who looked nervous.

"Don't remind me," Rodney said as he stared at the gate.

The gate activated and Rodney could barely hold down the excitement bubbling up inside him. He grinned like a mad man as the blue horizon appeared. He took a deep breath and was about to step through when Elizabeth called out behind them.

He spun around and saw her hurrying up to them. She wore her red and black jacket over her red shirt as well as a backpack. He was both surprised and thrilled to see her. They would be able to share the experience of finding the artifact together.

"Welcome aboard," Sheppard said and Elizabeth nodded to him, offering him a smile. A pang of jealousy went through Rodney, but he shoved it down. There were more important things to worry about at the moment.

"Lead the way," she said and Sheppard stepped through the gate.

"Babysitter number three," Rodney said, smiling.

"You know better than that. I want to see this artifact."

"That's the Elizabeth I know," he said as he followed her through the gate.

The bright sun beat down on him the moment he stepped through. The heat hit him a moment later and Rodney believed this was a bad idea.

"No one said this was a desert!" Rodney said as he stared at the oceans of sand before him. "This is going to be needle in a haystack."

"I was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to whine again," Sheppard said.

"Did I mention I have fair skin?" Rodney stated as they moved away from the gate. "I'm going to burn to a crisp."

"You are not, stop whining," Sheppard said. "Just think about what you're going to find when we find it."

"Yes, I can think of the artifact while I burn. Thanks, Sheppard."

"Maybe we should find some shade and a water source," Elizabeth mentioned, earning a smile from Rodney. "We won't last long if we don't."

"Good idea," Rodney agreed as he pulled out his laptop from the pack. "I'm betting the artifact might be near such a source."

"Are you sure your laptop won't fry in this heat?" Sheppard asked, earning a laugh from Carson.

"Very funny," Rodney said as he booted up his computer.

"Can we stop the bickering for five minutes?" Elizabeth asked. "We need to conserve energy."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Carson put in. "I'm already tired from it."

Rodney rolled his eyes as he typed on the keyboard. The computer beeped and the screen showed the readings. He smiled and picked up his pace.

"This way," he said. He half-jogged, half-walked in the direction the readings were pointing out for him. He doubted any of them would find the artifact otherwise with all this sand. He wiped the sweat from his face as he glanced at the screen.

"Almost there," Rodney said as the beeping increased in loudness and speed.

He led the way up a step sand dune and stopped at the top. He glanced out over the vast desert and fought back a groan. He wiped his face again and sighed. He hoped the artifact wasn't buried in the sand. He doubted any of them would last much longer in this heat.

Rodney glanced back down the dune and saw the others finally catch up with him. He made his way down to meet them when Sheppard tripped.

The Colonel fell face first in the sand at the same time his gun went off. Rodney hit the sand, covering his head. He looked up as Sheppard got to his feet.

"You could have killed me!" Rodney shouted as he climbed to his feet.

"That missed you by a mile," Sheppard said as he brushed the sand off him. "It wasn't even aimed at you."

Rodney grumbled as he picked up his laptop, brushing off the sand. He checked it over and was relieved the sand hadn't damaged it. If anything, it still worked and was beeping like mad.

"What did you trip over?" He asked as he stepped toward John.

"Something sticking out of the ground," Sheppard said, turning around.

Rodney stepped beside Sheppard and glanced down at the thing sticking out of the sand.

"That's one way to find it," he said as he knelt in the sand. He dug the fine-grained sand away, revealing the artifact half-buried. He didn't hold back the excitement as he yanked the book out of the ground. "Elizabeth!"

Rodney handed the artifact to Elizabeth, her eyes wide with wonder. He smiled at her as he climbed to his feet. She returned his smile as she looked the book over.

"One down, one to go," she said, her green eyes bright with exhilaration.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

The download from the second artifact took nearly as long to complete. Rodney paced the lab barely able to hold back his impatience. It was well past midnight and he couldn't keep his eyes open much longer.

"I need coffee," he said as he headed over to the coffee maker.

"Why don't we both go to bed?" Elizabeth said, standing. "We can look this over in the morning when we're both rested."

"Elizabeth, how can you sleep at a time like this?" he asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

She stared at him, an eyebrow raised. He knew he was about to get a lecture when she stared at him like that. He inwardly groaned and leaned against the table.

"Our minds will be a lot clearer after a good night's sleep, Rodney," she said, folding her arms across her chest. "We'll be much more alert, otherwise we might misinterpret something."

"Elizabeth, I've gone hours even days without sleep and been able to think clearly. This won't be any different."

"You might be able to get by on a cup of coffee…"

"Several."

"But I can't," she said, her eyes wide. "I need sleep, Rodney, and so do you."

Rodney sighed. "Fine. You've made your point. We'll pick this up in the morning."

"Good," Elizabeth smiled and he knew he made the right decision if it meant seeing her brilliant smile. "I'll see you in the morning."

Rodney woke with a start, Elizabeth's name echoing in his ears. He stared at the ceiling as the dream slowly vanished back into his subconscious. He closed his eyes and sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep.

Glancing at the clock, he saw it was four in the morning. Grumbling, he climbed out of bed and headed for the shower.

When will this end? Rodney thought as he turned on the cold water and got under the spray.

Five minutes later, feeling wide awake, Rodney entered the lab and headed for his workstation. The computer had finished the download and he couldn't keep the grin off his face. He opened the file and scanned the first few paragraphs. He was able to decipher most of it, but he needed Elizabeth to translate all of it.

"Time to wake Sleeping Beauty," he said. "Hope she won't kill me. Elizabeth, it's finished downloading."

There was no answer and Rodney sighed, rolling his eyes. He should have known she would still be in bed. She wasn't prone to erotic dreams every night like he was. He shook his head, saved the files and headed for her quarters.

Don't kill me, he repeated in his mind as he made his way through the halls. He knew where her quarters were, he had this half of the city memorized. It wouldn't take him long to get there.

Thoughts of her in her sleepwear crept into his mind causing hot lava to flow through him. He stopped and closed his eyes a moment, taking several deep breaths. He clinched his hands into fists and continued on. It wouldn't do to be completely aroused right in front of her. She'd definitely know how he felt about her then.

Think of the artifact, Rodney told himself as he stood in front of Elizabeth's door. Artifact, right.

Rodney took a deep breath and knocked on the door rather than take the chance of opening it himself.

There wasn't an answer and he rolled his eyes. Grumbling, he pounded on the door and called her name. He heard a faint noise on the other side and he smiled slightly.

"Finally," he whispered as he folded his arms across his chest and bounced on his feet. A moment later, the door opened and his jaw dropped at the sight which greeted him.

Elizabeth stared at him, her hair a mess. She had wrapped a dark blue robe around her tightly. His mind worked over time on what was underneath.

"Rodney," Elizabeth said, both annoyed and tired. "This better be important."

Rodney shook himself to the present and stared into her eyes. He cleared his throat to calm himself.

"The artifact's been downloaded. I was able to translate some of it, but I need your help for the rest of it."

"Rodney, it's four-thirty in the morning," Elizabeth said in between yawns. "Can't it wait?"

Rodney fought the urge to roll his eyes. He couldn't get over the fact that she wasn't as thrilled as he was at the prospect of looking the artifact over. It was early, though. Maybe some more sleep will get her enthusiasm up.

"Fine," he said, sighing. "I'll call you later."

Elizabeth smiled and stepped back into her room. He watched the door close wishing he had followed her in.

Elizabeth woke with a start, her heart racing as if she'd run a marathon. Sweat soaked her nightgown and dampened her hair. She sat up slowly, the dream fading from her mind. She ran a hand through her hair and wondered how she was to tell Rodney about her dreams. How would he take it?

She shook her head and climbed out of bed, quickly showering and dressing just as quickly. Her stomach growled and she headed toward the mess hall, knowing Rodney would be down there. It was nearly eight in the morning and she doubted he had eaten, yet. Being overly excited about the artifact, he probably forgot to eat breakfast.

She had been surprised at how many times she thought about Rodney. She worried and cared about him, but what she felt now went beyond mere friendship. These dreams only brought it to the fore. Did he feel the same? Could he feel the same?

Elizabeth stepped into the mess hall and went to get something to eat. She placed the plates on a tray and headed for a table. Her eyes fell on Rodney, who sat near the wall to her left. She smiled to herself and headed for him. She sat in front of him, getting his attention. He stared at her in surprise then looked around the room as if someone could be watching.

"Good morning, Rodney," she said as he turned his attention back to her. She looked into blue eyes full of surprise. She offered him a smile and he relaxed.

"Morning," he said, clearing his throat. "Sleep well?"

"Other than the really early morning wake up call, fine," she answered. She didn't want to tell him about her dreams, not yet. She doubted he was ready to hear about them. His mind was clearly on other things, like the artifact.

"Sorry," Rodney said. "I couldn't wait to show you."

"Obviously," she said, taking a sip of coffee.

Rodney rolled his eyes and she smiled.

"So the artifact has been downloaded?" Elizabeth asked, watching his eyes brighten.

"I translated some of it," he answered. "It mentions the power source again and describes the planet the third artifact is on."

Elizabeth smiled. Apparently, he had all he needed to find the last artifact. "So what do you need me for?"

Rodney blinked as if caught off guard by her question. He took a drink of his coffee before answering. "I don't have all of it translated. There could be something important buried in those words. Something along the lines of: don't go here, it's dangerous."

"All right," she said. "I'll translate the rest of it for you."

Rodney smiled and her breath caught in her throat. It was rare that he ever smiled, but when he did it was a complete transformation from grumpy man to little boy. It got to her every time, but now it nearly stopped her heart.

"Great," he said, standing. "I'll get it ready."

Elizabeth watched him leave feeling his absence strongly. She shook her head and returned to her breakfast.

Elizabeth arrived in the lab fifteen minutes later to find Rodney staring at the computer screen. She smiled and went over to him. She stood over him as she looked at the screen. She narrowed her eyes as she read the words.

"It sounds like a beautiful planet," she said after a moment. "Quite romantic."

"And according to this it is uninhabited, like the desert we went to," Rodney replied.

"Have you found the address?" Elizabeth asked as he stood.

"I'll leave that to you. I need to check on your glowing cube."

Elizabeth blinked. "I thought you forgot about it?"

"Of course not," he said, giving her an "are you an idiot" look. "Anything we find that might actually do something always gets my attention."

"Have you found anything out about it?"

"It's activated by the gene," Rodney answered, going into lecture mode. "I must have activated when I touched it, but it didn't do anything until I gave it to you. I'm still working on that."

Elizabeth nodded, one of her questions answered at least. The other would have to wait. "Have fun."

Rodney smirked then went to the other side of the lab where he kept the cube. She sighed and sat in front of the computer and got to work.

After an hour, Elizabeth had the gate address and more information on the planet.

"The artifact is on a remote part of the western continent," she said as she stood in the briefing room. Rodney, John, and Carson sat around the large table. Teyla and Ronon were on an off world assignment. "It will probably be more difficult to find than the second one."

"Needle in a haystack," Rodney put in as he leaned back in his chair. "We're talking continent sized forest here. Thankfully, the climate is nice."

"And the trees will block out the sun," John said, earning a glare from Rodney.

"Don't make me separate you two," Elizabeth said as she stared at both of them. John shrugged while Rodney continued to glare at John. She rolled her eyes and sighed. She knew Rodney would be on his best behavior in front of her, but she doubted he'd hold his temper much longer if John kept up the remarks about Rodney's fair complexion.

"If we can be civil toward each other, let's get us an artifact."

The three stood and filed out of the room, leaving her to gather her thoughts. She ran a hand through her hair and let the tension leave her body.

I need a serious warm bath when we get back, she thought.

"Are you coming?" Rodney's voice caused her to jump. She stared at him, his expression one of concern. He stepped further into the room as she put her hands behind her back.

"What's wrong?"

Elizabeth cleared her throat. "I'm a bit tense. We're so close to finding out what this power source is all about."

"You're excited," he said, smiling.

"I guess so," she said, returning his smile. "We should get going."

Rodney blinked as if coming out of a daze. "Right."

She followed him out of the room barely catching his "God, she's got a great smile." She stared at his back in surprise. Did I hear that right? Elizabeth thought. Did he say that out loud?

She continued to stare at him as they made their way down the steps toward the gate. He looked at her as she stood beside him.

"What?" Rodney asked, catching her surprised expression.

Elizabeth shook her head; still not sure she had heard him right. She looked up at the control room and nodded for them to dial the gate.

She watched the gate activate, the excitement replacing her surprise and confusion. Her heart raced as she walked through the blue horizon.

Elizabeth caught her breath at the scenery before her as she came out on the planet. Her gaze took in her surroundings and she realized what the Ancients wrote about this place did not do it justice. It was more beautiful than she had first thought.

A soft breeze blew the emerald grass, giving the appearance of ocean waves. Trees lined the field they were in and she wondered what could be behind those trees. Birds sang in the distance and there was the faint sound of a waterfall.

It's gorgeous here, she thought as she stepped away from the gate.

"Yeah," Rodney said, catching her off guard. She stared at him as he took in the tall trees and deep blue sky. He must have noticed her staring at him, for he looked at her, an eyebrow raised.

"What?"

"Yeah, what?"

Rodney blinked as if not understanding what she asked. He shook his head and stared at her as if ready to give a lecture.

"You said it was gorgeous here. I was agreeing."

Elizabeth shook her head. Did she say that out loud? She shook her head and continued on, Rodney following beside her.

They caught up to Sheppard and Carson in the middle of the clearing. John raised an eyebrow as if he knew they were up to something for taking so long. Carson also had a knowing smile on his face and she began to wonder what was going on. She shook her head as she stood before them.

"Well, now that we're all here," John said, taking his P-90 off his shoulder. "Shall we head into the deep dark forest?"

"Oh, come on," Rodney said. "It's not that dark and you know it."

"Let's not start, please," Elizabeth said as she followed the men into the forest. "I'll not take any of you on a mission again if you do."

"It was you idea to come with us," John said. "You should know by now we can't keep our mouths shut."

Elizabeth said nothing. She knew Rodney and John's bickering was good natured, but sometimes they took it too far. She didn't want to see someone storm off in this unknown wilderness because of hurt feelings. It wouldn't do for one of them to get lost.

"How about this one time, you try?" Elizabeth said, putting her no arguing voice into her words. She raised her eyebrow for added effect.

John shrugged and led the way deeper into the forest. The sound of the waterfall grew louder and Rodney brought out his laptop, turning it on. She picked up her pace to walk beside him as he booted up the computer.

"We should be able to find it like the other," he told her as the screen came on. "If it's even on this side of the continent."

"Always the pessimist," she said with a smile. He stared at her as if he was about to say something then decided against it. He looked at the screen, typed on the keyboard then a beeped sounded.

"Picking up energy readings," he said. How's that for pessimism.

"I was only joking, Rodney," she said.

Rodney stared at her in surprise, blinking several times. He cleared his throat and picked up his pace as if he didn't want to be around her. She watched him wondering what had set him off. She sighed and followed after him.

"It's this way," Rodney said, taking the lead. "Try not to trip over anything this time, Sheppard."

"Shut up," John said, not taking the bait.

Elizabeth took the opportunity to take in their surroundings. The trees were tall, blocking out the sun. The temperature was nice and cool within the forest. The breeze blew through the trees, causing a soothing rustle of the leaves. She closed her eyes and took it all in, enjoying the calming sounds.

"Elizabeth!" Rodney's voice broke into her reverie, startling her. She opened her eyes and saw she had fallen behind. She jogged to catch up, climbing over a log that had fallen who knows how long ago.

"Sorry," she said when she caught up to them. "I was enjoying the forest."

Rodney rolled his eyes, but she saw relief in them and she was touched by his concern. Maybe he felt something for her after all.

He cleared his throat as if caught doing something he shouldn't. He glanced at John and Carson before speaking. "Try to keep up."

Elizabeth stared at him then at John and Carson, who only shrugged. She shook her head and followed them.

What the hell was that about? She thought as she followed them up a steep hill. The rustle of dry leaves was loud in her ears as she trudged through them. How much further was this place?

"Not much further," Rodney said, stepping over what she could only assume was a tree root.

The waterfall was much louder now and she saw it through the thinning trees. Her breath caught in her throat as they cleared the trees and got their first view of the waterfall. It was a monstrous curtain of water falling over a cliff thirty feet above them. The thunderous roar was deafening as the water fell into a lagoon of deep blue.

"Anyone for a swim?" John asked as he made his way to the edge of the pool.

"We're here for the artifact," Rodney said, staring at his laptop. "You can swim in the ocean at home if you really want to swim."

"Ah, but there's a difference between swimming in the ocean and a lagoon," Sheppard said, smiling. "This will be so much more pleasant."

"Whatever," Rodney said. "The readings are getting stronger."

He walked passed John without glancing at him then stopped at the edge of the lagoon closest to the waterfall. He looked up at the waterfall then at them.

"It's behind there," he said, pointing toward the waterfall.

"Looks like it is a swim," John said, pulling off his vest and P-90, placing them on the ground.

"You don't know what's behind that!" Rodney shouted above the roar. "It could be a monster's cave."

"You said this place was unpopulated," John countered as he took off his shirt.

"By people!" Rodney said, standing in front of John.

"Thanks for the concern, Rodney, but I'm going."

Rodney through up his hands and walked away. He stared at Elizabeth as he came up to her, but she had no idea what to say to him. All she could do was shrug.

"He's only doing that to be the hero of the day," Rodney griped as he placed his laptop back in his backpack. "And he can't resist being Kirk and take his shirt off."

"Rodney, the last time you went in first without checking for traps you were hurt."

"Your point?" Rodney asked, giving her his you're an idiot look again.

"You were a little overeager to burst in there and take the artifact. John will be more cautious."

"You've got to be kidding me? I'm the most cautious person on this expedition."

"Not when it comes to discoveries of a scientific nature," Elizabeth said.

John dived into the pool and Rodney sighed, giving in for the moment. She took the moment to look at him. He wore his vest over his black shirt which hugged him like a second skin. Her gaze slid down his body and the memories of her dreams came to her mind. She quickly lifted her eyes to meet his and was surprised to catch him staring at her ogling at him.

"Elizabeth?" Rodney questioned, his brilliant blue eyes sharp and assessing.

Elizabeth cleared her throat and looked away, placing her hands behind her back. She turned her attention to the waterfall and the soothing sound.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Rodney asked, bringing her attention back to him.

"Very," she whispered as she glanced at her feet. She looked up to see Carson sitting on a rock beside the lagoon. How long had John been gone?

"It's quite soothing," Rodney said.

She looked at him and the smoldering flame she saw in his eyes startled her. She took a step back caught off guard by the emotion in his eyes. He stepped closer to her and she stood her ground, knowing he would only keep walking her backward until she ran into something.

"Rodney," she whispered as she held up a hand.

Rodney reached out a hand and ran it through her hair. She closed her eyes, a shiver running down her spine. She hadn't expected this from him. She didn't think she had it in him if she was honest with herself. She opened her eyes and watched as his eyes darkened and warmth flooded her very being.

He leaned toward her and her heart skipped a beat then raced like a rabbit. Was he going to kiss her?

"Got it!" John's voice snapped both of them out of the moment and Rodney blinked several times. He stepped away from her and emptiness came over her.

"It's about time!" Rodney shouted, heading over to John. "What took you so long?"

Elizabeth sighed as she went to see what John had found. Would he have kissed her if John hadn't interrupted? Would he try again? She shook her head, doubting it would even happen.

"Hand it over," Rodney said, snapping his fingers at John.

"Aren't we the impatient one," John said, handing the artifact to Rodney.

"You might drop it and shatter it," the scientist said as he put the book-sized artifact into his backpack.

"You're in a mood," John said, climbing out of the lagoon. "What's up with you?"

Rodney stared at the man as he zipped up his pack. Elizabeth was about to scold the two when Carson spoke.

"It's getting late. I think we should camp here for the night and leave in the morning."

"Good idea," Rodney said. "I'm starving."

Elizabeth stood staring at the waterfall, letting its peaceful sound wash over her. She closed her eyes and breathed in the smell of moisture and fragrant flowers. She could almost live here if she didn't have so many responsibilities on Atlantis.

The sound of footsteps brought her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Rodney standing beside her. She smiled up at him his face lit by the planet's full moon. His nearness stirred her awareness and sent her pulse pounding. She took a deep breath as he sat beside her.

"Waterfall by moonlight," he said, his voice soft.

He looked at her and her breath caught. He moved closer to her, his presence overwhelming her. He took her mouth in a searing kiss that almost undid her. He ran his fingers through her hair, deepening the kiss. She gasped and his tongue dove in, dueling with her. He moved her down onto the soft grass and her hands went under his shirt to explore. He gasped at her touch and she smiled into the kiss. It was nice to know she affected him as much as he affected her.

Not content with merely touching him with her hands, Elizabeth pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. She ran her hands along chest, causing him to moan into the kiss. He trailed kisses along her jawline to her neck and she tilted her head back, offering herself to him.

Before she knew it, her shirt was gone followed by her bra, joining his clothes on the ground nearby. She stared into his eyes as he took her in, sending a fire to rage inside her. Soon the rest of their clothes piled on the forest floor.

"Rodney," she whispered, bringing his attention back to her. She pulled him down for another kiss as her hands explored more of him.

Rodney posed above her, looking into her eyes as if to see if this was what she wanted. She saw the desire in his eyes as well as passion and love. She opened her thighs for him and that seemed to be all the encouragement he needed. He took her mouth once again as he thrust inside her. They both moaned at the feeling of being one and held there for several moments, enjoying it. He then began to slowly move inside her as he deepened the kiss.

Elizabeth matched his motions with her own. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him deeper inside her. She arched up into him, giving more of herself to him. He answered with passion as he took a breast into his mouth and thrust deeper inside of her. She closed her eyes and moaned his name, not caring who heard.

He thrust faster inside her as he felt himself nearing the edge. He had thought that he was taking her to new heights, but instead, they were both going there. He felt himself going higher and higher with each thrust and moan. He could feel her muscles gathering tighter around him as they both reached their climax.

"Elizabeth!"

"Rodney!"

Elizabeth stared in shock as her name echoed in her ears. She looked at Rodney, who stared back at her with the same expression of shock. She moved her gaze from him to the other two, who were also gazing at them in surprise.

"What happened?" She asked, turning her eyes to Rodney. He continued to stare at her, ignoring their audience.

"Did you have a dream?" Rodney asked, his voice shaky.

Elizabeth nodded, not knowing where this was going.

"What was it about?"

She cleared her throat and glanced at the two men on the other side of the fire. She stared at her hands, not really wanting to have anyone hear about her dreams.

"You. Me. This clearing."

"Oh crap," Rodney said.

"What?"

"I had the same dream," he said, not at all happy. She folded her arms across her chest. Not exactly the reaction I would have gone for.

"Well, too bad," he said, not missing a beat. She stared at him as he glared at her. She blinked a few times as he continued. "How long have you had them?"

Elizabeth cleared her throat. I could ask you the same.

"Later. Answer my question first."

"For the past week," she answered, staring at him. Was he reading her mind? "How long have you had them?"

"Longer than you," he answered. "And I didn't want you to know about them, either."

"You've been dreaming about me?" Elizabeth asked, surprised. "It was me all this time?"

"Yes," Rodney answered glaring at her with impatience.

Elizabeth smiled as warmth filled her. He had been dreaming about her the entire time. Well that answers that question.

"How many do you have?" Rodney asked.

"How can you read my mind?" Elizabeth asked.

"He's reading your mind?" Carson asked, surprised. "And I thought sharing the same dream was weird."

"Go away, Carson," Rodney said, his gaze locked on Elizabeth.

"Like I'm going anywhere in this creepy forest."

"I think I was able to read your mind since the first artifact. I dialed the gate and I could hear what you were thinking."

"I can hear yours as well," Elizabeth said, recalling the moments she thought he spoke when he hadn't.

"I wonder why," Rodney said thoughtfully.

"Ponder it tomorrow," John said. "Some of us want to sleep."

"Fine," Rodney grumbled as he settled back down.

Elizabeth watched him, the revelations playing through her mind. He could hear her thoughts and she could hear his.

I wonder how it happened, she thought as a new awareness washed over her.

"Answer tomorrow," Rodney said in a sleepy voice. She smiled, shaking her head as she lied back down beside him. Tomorrow would defiantly bring answers.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

The next morning brought awkwardness as well as a beautiful landscape. Rodney glanced over at Elizabeth as she picked up her pack. Of all the things he would have thought on how she would react to his interest in her, her having the same damn dreams was not one of them. He shook his head and pulled on his vest as he stood.

Mustn't forget about the reading thoughts thing, he thought then groaned, knowing she probably heard that. He looked over at her and saw a smile on her lips as she kicked dirt on the dying fire. Yep, she heard it.

"Let's move out," John said and led the way back to the gate.

Rodney walked beside Elizabeth, but the discomfort only increased. He had never been tongue-tied around her, if anything he talked more. He had never been uncomfortable around her either or this unsure of himself. He didn't know what to say to her and it frustrated him.

I almost kissed her! He suddenly realized. He groaned for both that fact and knowing Elizabeth heard his thought. He closed his eyes and ran his hand over his face. He had to find out how this happened and fix it.

They entered the forest and the coolness soothed Rodney. Birds sang in the canopy overhead and he relaxed. He looked over at Elizabeth, who took in their surroundings. She looked beautiful, a serene expression on her face. He wanted to kiss her then and strode closer to her.

"Think we can visit this place again?" He asked.

Elizabeth turned her brilliant smile on him and his heart stopped then sped up. "Of course."

"Good, cause I was thinking about maybe a summer home over by the lagoon."

"Sounds nice, but you might not get to live it in long."

"Yeah, we tend to have a crisis nearly every week on Atlantis. It was a nice thought, though."

Elizabeth laughed and Rodney smiled, the sound warming him to his very bones. He really wanted to kiss her then. He looked over at her and she stumbled over a tree root. He caught her before she fell and the feeling of her in his arms nearly undid him. The last time he held her was nearly three years ago during a storm. It was the only memory of that night he wanted to remember.

"Are you all right?" Rodney asked as she steadied herself, her hands wrapped around his forearms. She looked up at him and his breath caught at the expression in her green eyes. He felt himself falling into those eyes and he couldn't hold himself back any longer.

"I'm fine," Elizabeth said, her voice unsteady.

Rodney moved his hands up her arms as he stared into her ever darkening eyes.

He's going to kiss me, he heard Elizabeth's thought.

"Oh, yeah," he whispered as he buried his hands in her hair.

"Will you two hurry up!" Sheppard's voice startled them.

"Damn it," Rodney grumbled as he backed away from her. Emptiness washed over him as he gazed at her. He wanted her so much, he could taste it.

"We should catch up," Elizabeth said as she walked away.

"Right," he whispered and followed her.

"What were you two doing?" Sheppard asked when they caught up.

"I think they were kissing," Carson said with a self-satisfied smile on his face.

"Shut up, Carson," Rodney said as he trudged past them, his anger taking over the bleakness he felt. Why couldn't Sheppard leave them alone? It was almost as if he didn't want them to kiss.

He shook himself out of that thought. Wasn't Sheppard the one that had tried to get him to tell Elizabeth about his feelings for her?

"Slow down, Rodney!" Sheppard shouted from behind.

Rodney stopped and turned, not in the mood for a lecture from him on off-world safety. He glared at Sheppard as the rest of the group came up the hill.

"Happy now? I stopped," he said, folding his arms across his chest.

"I can see that," Sheppard returned. "We need to stay together. No wandering off or staying behind to admire the scenery."

"I am not one of your sergeants who have never been off world before," Rodney shot back. "Besides, there isn't anyone on this planet!"

A shot echoed through the forest, startling everyone. Rodney ducked and glanced around, wondering where it had come from. His gaze fell on Elizabeth lying prone on the ground.

"Elizabeth!" He got to his feet and ran down the hill to her side, dread filling his very being.

"Look out!" Sheppard shouted.

Rodney looked up and saw several people coming out from behind the trees. Most of the natives, if that was who they were, had guns aimed at them while others held bows and arrows. He glared at them, anger simmering within.

"Rodney," Elizabeth whispered and he turned his attention to her. Relief she was alive overwhelmed him. He looked her over as Carson knelt beside her.

"The bullet hit her shoulder," Carson said.

"Thanks, I can see that," Rodney bit out. The blood from the wound terrified him and he hoped it looked worse than it really was. He didn't know what he'd do if anything happened to her.

"You're going to be all right," he said, taking hold of her hand. "Carson will fix you up and you'll be good as new."

"Rodney," she whispered and fear coursed through him. Did she even know he was here? He squeezed her hand, hoping to get her attention.

"I'm here," he said, trying to get closer to her without lying next to her. "We'll get you back to Atlantis."

Elizabeth looked at him, but he doubted she actually saw him. He squeezed her hand again and ran his other hand through her hair.

"We need to take the jacket off, so I can get at the wound," Carson said. "Rodney."

"Elizabeth," Rodney said, the panic starting to build. "Say something!"

Elizabeth closed her eyes and went limp. He stared at her, not believing what he saw. He checked for a pulse, ignoring the people as they slowly crept closer. He hardly noticed Sheppard standing over them. All he saw was Elizabeth, unconscious and probably dying.

"Elizabeth, wake up," Rodney said, taking her face in his hands. This couldn't be happening, not when he was about to tell her how he felt. "Please, wake up."

"I need to look at her wound, Rodney," Carson said, trying to pry him away from Elizabeth. "Move, lad."

Rodney stood and glared at the people as they slowly gathered around them. He drew his gun, aiming it at the nearest threat.

"Rodney," Sheppard warned.

"They shot her for no reason," Rodney replied sharply. "They're going to pay for that."

"Put the gun down, McKay."

Rodney narrowed his eyes and pulled the trigger. The report rang in his ears and one of the natives fell to the ground. The people paused and stared at the body in surprise. They looked back at him, their weapons aimed at him.

"Just try it," he sneered as he took aim again.

"McKay!" Sheppard shouted. "I don't think that's helping."

"I don't care!" Rodney said and began shooting.

The natives returned fire and he barely heard Sheppard curse as he opened fire. A bullet whistled by Rodney and he ducked, backing away toward the nearest tree. He saw Carson drag Elizabeth to safety and a brief moment of relief went through him. It vanished just as quickly when a bullet hit the side of the tree he was behind, sending bark flying. He moved behind the tree and reloaded.

"We have to get to the gate!" Sheppard called from another tree across from him.

"Nice plan, Sheppard!" Rodney shouted as he fired at the natives. "Shall we run now?"

Rodney ducked as an arrow zipped over his head. He fired off two more shots then moved behind the tree as bullets rained around him.

"Carson, get Elizabeth back to the gate," Rodney shouted into his headset as he returned fire. "We'll keep them busy."

"I don't think that's possible, son," Carson replied.

"Why not?" Rodney asked, fear making his heart race.

"Cause we have a problem."

Rodney stopped firing and looked over to where Carson had taken Elizabeth behind a tree on the other side of Sheppard. His heart stopped when he saw two men aiming their weapons at Carson and Elizabeth.

"No," he whispered then shouted at Sheppard. "They have Elizabeth!"

Sheppard stopped firing and stared at him, his eyes narrowed. He looked behind him and saw what Rodney had seen.

"Let them go!" Sheppard said as he held up his hands. "She's wounded and he needs to take care of her."

"Lower you weapons," the larger of the two men said, his voice a growl.

Rodney lowered his weapon. He didn't want Elizabeth to be hurt any further.

"You're coming with us," the smaller man said, walking toward them. "Hand over you weapons and no one else will be hurt."

Rodney dropped his on the ground, not wanting to make it easy for the man. He glared at the native as the man bent down and picked up the gun. He fought the urge to kick the man in the head as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Follow me," he said as he pointed his bow at Rodney. "The others will follow shortly."

"I'm not going anywhere without her," Rodney snapped.

"You will if you want her to live," the man said and nodded toward the larger man.

Rodney watched horror as the larger man yanked on Elizabeth's hair, pulling her head back. His heart raced in fear and he raised his hands in surrender.

"Don't hurt her," he said, keeping his eyes on Elizabeth. "I'll follow."

"Good," the man said, obviously the leader. He pointed with his arrow toward the group of people and Rodney took a last look at Elizabeth before he walked toward who knew where.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Elizabeth opened her eyes to find herself in what appeared to be a room of some kind. She glanced around, her gaze taking in the bare walls, the chairs and a window to her right. The bed she was on was comfortable, but small. She tried to sit up, but Carson placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Easy, lass," the doctor said softly. "You've been shot. I was able to get the bullet out no thanks to our hosts."

"Hosts?" Elizabeth asked, confused. All she remembered was Rodney arguing with John.

"Apparently there are people on this planet," John said as he sat on the edge of the bed, his arms folded. "They shot you and captured us."

"But not before Rodney shot some of them," Carson added.

Elizabeth's eyes widened and she looked around the room. Rodney was nowhere to be seen. Worry built inside her and her heart pounded in her chest.

"Where is he?"

"We don't know," John answered. "They took him alone. We don't know where they're keeping him."

"Or if he'll be returned to us," Carson said as he checked the bandage on her shoulder.

"Let's hope he will be," Elizabeth whispered, not liking the idea of Rodney with these people alone. If they shot her for no apparent reason there was no telling what they would do to him. She sighed and closed her eyes, leaning back against the pillows. At least they were kind enough to give them a room instead of some cell.

The door opened and Elizabeth sat up, hoping to see Rodney walk through. Instead, a giant of a man entered the room, glaring at all of them as he shut the door behind him. Anger radiated off him and Elizabeth's heart pounded. She feared for Rodney if this man was anywhere near him. What did this man want with them and why did they attack?

"Who are you?" John asked, standing.

The man stared at John, his eyes practically glowing with rage. Elizabeth pushed herself back as far as the bed would allow her to go. She doubted it was possible to reason with this man in letting them go.

"I am Avar, chief of the Yutan," the man said. "You are trespassing on our land."

"We didn't know anyone was on this planet," John said. "We were leaving when you attacked."

"You were still trespassing," Avar growled as he stepped closer.

"Where's Rodney?" Elizabeth asked before the situation escalated any further.

Avar stared at her and she fought the urge to look away. She wasn't about to let this man intimidate her any more. She wanted Rodney back, now.

"The man who shot my father," Avar said, snarling, "is dead."

Elizabeth stared at Avar, her heart sinking. Rodney couldn't be dead. She refused to believe it. She took a deep breath and shook her head, her eyes narrow.

"I don't believe you," she said, keeping herself calm as possible.

Avar sneered, an ugly expression on the man's handsome face. "Believe what you want, but it is true. It is our punishment for killing another. You will be released soon since you pose no threat to us."

"We didn't pose a threat to you to start with," John said, barely contained rage in his voice.

Avar only smiled then turned and left the room. A collective sigh of relief filled the room. Tears stung Elizabeth's eyes, but she blinked them back. Rodney wasn't dead and she would continue to believe that.

"We have to get out of here," she said. "We need to find Rodney."

"We will," John said, pacing the room. "Don't worry."

"I can't help, but worry," Elizabeth whispered as she closed her eyes and focused on Rodney's mind. If she could contact him and let him know she was all right, then maybe they would both feel better.

Rodney, she thought. Where are you? Please answer me.

"Elizabeth?" Carson asked, placing a hand on her arm. "What are you doing?"

Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked at Carson's concerned face. She looked at both of them, each with a concerned expression on their faces.

"I was trying to contact Rodney," she answered with a sigh. "I thought maybe I could reach him. Let him know we're all right."

"You need to rest," Carson said softly. "Let us take of things for a change."

Elizabeth smiled, but she was still worried about Rodney. If she couldn't contact him then either he was out of range or he was unconscious.

Or dead, whispered another part of her brain. She pushed the thought away, knowing it wouldn't help Rodney. She had to think positive for both their sakes.

"I'll see if I can't get the door open," John said, heading toward the door. He jiggled the handle and Elizabeth heard the click of a locked door. "Looks like I get to pick it."

"Hurry," Elizabeth said as she watched John pull out some picks from his vest and knelt before the door. Carson stayed near her, which she was thankful for. She needed a calming influence right now with the growing fear that Rodney was dead.

"Hang on," John said as he worked the lock.

Rodney, it's Elizabeth, she tried again. Please answer me.

Tears stung her eyes when there wasn't an answer. Fear and dread filled her being and she began to think Rodney really was dead. Wouldn't he have answered by now if he was able?

"Elizabeth?" Carson's voice interrupted her thoughts. She looked up at him and realized her face was wet. She ran a hand along her face and noticed she had been crying.

"What if he's dead?" She said, her voice cracking.

"You can't think like that," Carson said, squeezing her hand. "Avar was lying in order to get at you; to keep you from wanting to escape. Rodney's somewhere here alive and we'll find him. You have to believe that."

"I can't lose him," she whispered as John finally unlocked the door. He stood with a grin on his face and opened the door to blackness.

"You won't, Elizabeth," Carson told her as he helped her off the bed. "He'll be fine."

"Let's get out of here," John said and entered the darkness.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and followed John down the dark hallway. Her eyes adjusted to the dimness and she saw doors on either side of the hall. She heard their footsteps on hardwood flooring and hoped no one was nearby to hear them. The moon shown through a window at the far end of the hallway and below it was a staircase leading down.

"I bet that leads to the way out," John whispered as they headed toward the staircase. "Let's find Rodney and get out of here."

Elizabeth wished they could hurry up, but she knew they needed to go slowly. There was a possibility of guards nearby and they had to be quiet. It didn't help her nerves, though.

John held up a hand when they neared the bottom of the stairs. He slowly stepped forward, looking this way and that. Her pulse raced as John motioned for them to follow. She took a deep breath and stepped into a dimly lit dining room. A long table stood in the center of the room and an open doorway was on the other side.

Where is everyone? Elizabeth thought as she peered into the darkness.

"Look what I found," John said as he strode to the far side of the wall. "A torch."

"Good, I'm getting sick of the dark," Carson said as John pulled the torch from its holder and pulled out a lighter from a vest pocket. He lit the torch and Elizabeth blinked against the brightness.

"That's better," John said and led the way into the next room.

The torch showed the room was small. There weren't any windows or another way out of the room. A sense of the walls closing in crept over Elizabeth at the thought. A wooden table was placed in the center of the room and someone was on it. John stepped closer and the light from the torch fell on the person and Elizabeth gasped.

"Rodney," she whispered in shock. She made her way toward the table and saw he was strapped onto it. He was clothed only in his boxers. His body was covered in cuts and bruises and she looked away, not able to stand seeing him like this.

"He's alive," Carson said, and relief swept over her.

"Get him out of there," she said, not wanting any of them to stay in this place much longer.

John and Carson untied Rodney and lifted him off the table. Elizabeth closed her eyes, calming herself. She led the way out of the room and back into the dining room. She held the torch high as she went to her right through the dining room. She caught a glimpse of wooden walls and more scones. She found another doorway and went through it, both grateful and nervous there weren't any guards. Where had they all gone?

"Where is the front door to this place?" John griped. "He's getting heavy."

"I see it," Elizabeth said, seeing the most moonlight she had seen up ahead. "This way."

She led the way through a short hall, keeping her eyes on the silver light shining through a large doorway. Her heart raced in both dread and excitement at the fact they were about to escape so easily. She opened the door, letting John and Carson to carry Rodney out first. She followed behind, quietly closing the door behind her. She allowed herself a brief sigh of relief before she hurried after the men.

Can you here me? Elizabeth tried. Please answer me.

Still no answer. What did they do to him?

Elizabeth ignored the buildings around her as she followed John and Carson into the forest. She took one last look at the two story house behind her, not wanting to ever see it again. She turned and jogged into the woods.

She found John and Carson placing Rodney on the ground up against a tree. Carson knelt beside him, checking his pulse.

"How is he?" Elizabeth asked, worry filling her once again.

"We need to get him to Atlantis," Carson answered.

Elizabeth nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. John and Carson lifted Rodney up and carried him deeper into the forest. She followed after them, hoping the gate wasn't far.

Elizabeth paced outside the infirmary waiting on the results from Carson. Her wound had been cleaned and tended to by a nurse as Carson put all his concentration on healing Rodney. She hadn't been able to keep her eyes off Rodney's battered body and she feared the worst. She knew, though Carson wouldn't rest until his patient was good as new.

"Elizabeth," John's voice startled her, but she was grateful for the interruption of her dark thoughts.

"John," she said, placing her hands behind her back.

"How're you doing?"

Elizabeth sighed and looked at the floor. "Physically, I'm fine. Emotionally, I'm a wreck."

"Rodney will be fine," John said, stepping closer. "He has the best doctor in this galaxy working on him."

Elizabeth raised her eyes and smiled, knowing it was true. "I still worry about him."

"No one is telling you to stop," John stated, leaning against the wall. "Hell, someone has to."

"Just don't let him know."

The doors to the infirmary opened and Carson stepped out, his eyes tired and his face haggard.

"Carson?" Elizabeth asked.

"Let's not ever go to that planet again," Carson said with a heavy sigh.

"What did they do?" John asked as he pushed himself from the wall.

"What didn't they do?" Carson answered. "The bruises hid the worst of it. He was beaten nearly to death, stabbed twice and cut everywhere else. I was able to stop the internal bleeding and put him in a medically induced coma to help him heal."

Elizabeth closed her eyes against the sudden dizziness sweeping over her. A hand fell on her shoulder and she opened her eyes to see Carson beside her.

"Are you all right?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath and nodded. "Can I see him?"

"Of course," Carson said and led the way into the infirmary. "But you need to rest as soon as possible. I don't need both of you in here."

She braced herself for what she was about to see, but it still didn't help. Her stomach and heart both fell to her feet at the sight before her. She swallowed passed the lump in her throat as she gazed at Rodney lying in the hospital bed. There was a cut on his lower lip and a bruise around his left eye turning purple.

"Rodney," she whispered as she ran a hand through his hair. "I'm so sorry."

Her gaze fell on the blanket that hid the rest of the wounds, but she knew what they looked like. She knew she would never get the image of the blood and bruises out of her head.

"He'll recover," Carson said behind her. "He's too strong willed not to."

Elizabeth nodded, but it was still hard to see him like this. She sighed and turned. "Keep me posted."

"As always."

She left the infirmary, tears building in her eyes.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Elizabeth sat in her office, staring at the computer screen before her. It had been two days since they had escaped from the Yutan's planet. Two days since Rodney had been put into a coma. He was healing and Elizabeth was grateful for the good news.

She sighed as she played Solitaire on the computer. Waiting was the hardest part. She wanted so much to talk to him about their shared dreams. They needed to finish the conversation they had on the planet before they were attacked. She needed to tell him how she felt. She had an inkling of how he felt and the knowledge sent her pulse quickening.

"Dr. Weir," Elizabeth looked up and saw Radek Zelenka hurry into her office. John followed behind him and she raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?" She asked, pushing her laptop to the side.

"We analyzed the cube some more," Zelenka answered. "We learned it can only be activated by someone with the gene."

"Which Rodney has," Elizabeth said as she leaned forward on her desk, hands folded on the top. "What does it do?"

"It's a love cube," John said with a smirk. "Apparently even the Ancients had trouble finding love."

Zelenka stared at John for a moment, shook his head then continued. "It only worked when you touched it. It allowed you to share his dreams and read his thoughts."

"It glowed as well," Elizabeth mentioned, wondering if the feelings she felt were only because of the cube.

"It was working," Zelenka said. "It has the ability to sense those that need a bit of a push to get together."

Elizabeth stared at the scientist then at John. She blinked and sat back in her chair, not knowing what to think about that.

"Are you saying it would only work if someone had feelings for the person already?"

"Hidden feelings," Zelenka said. "Unspoken. That's what the translation on the cube says. It's not to make you fall in love, but to bring love out."

Elizabeth shook her head, the weight of what she learned overwhelming. She knew she had always felt something for Rodney, she didn't know how strong it really was.

Or that I've been hiding it, she thought.

"Is there a way to stop it? I can't be having his dreams or always hearing his thoughts."

"Sorry," Zelenka said softly. "Haven't gotten that far in the testing."

"How about you admit you love him?" John asked.

Elizabeth stared at John, surprise preventing her from speaking. She didn't think she was ready for that, but she knew Rodney probably wanted to hear it.

"When he's awake," she heard herself say.

John nodded. "I'm sure he'd love to hear it."

She smiled slightly as the two left her office. She sighed and looked down into the control room.

Rodney opened his eyes to a blurry room. He blinked several times as his vision cleared. He groaned when he found himself in the infirmary.

"Welcome back," Elizabeth's voice caught his attention.

He looked over to his left and saw her sitting beside him. She smiled at him and his heart skipped a beat. Memory returned to him and he glanced at her shoulder. He narrowed his eyes as anger filled him.

"Are you all right?" Rodney asked, his voice clipped. He stared at her as she looked at her hands.

"I should be asking you that," she said. She took a breath and turned her green gaze on him. "We found you nearly beaten to death in the Yutan's village." 

"So that's what they're called," he said. "Did they mention why they shot you?"

"For trespassing," she answered. "They said you killed their leader. His son took up that post and captured all of us."

Rodney closed his eyes as the memories of being taken into that house flashed before him. The cold metal of the slab seeped into his being and he shivered. A warm hand fell over his face and he opened his eyes. Concerned eyes filled his vision and he offered her a smile.

"They hurt you. I wasn't going to let them get away with that," he said finally. "Course, they had us outnumbered and they threatened you."

"It's all right, Rodney," Elizabeth said, softly. "We're safe now and back on Atlantis."

Rodney sighed, the truth of that statement sinking in. He was safe and Elizabeth was safe. Things were back to normal or as normal as it could get on Atlantis.

"Zelenka figure out about the cube and our dreams," Elizabeth said.

Rodney opened his eyes and stared at her, an eyebrow raised. "Really?"

"He said that the cube was programmed to bring people together. If two people care about each, but are afraid to admit it to the other, the cube does it for them."

"What do you mean?"

Elizabeth sighed and stared at her hands. "It gave me those dreams and let us hear each other's thoughts. When you touched it, it must have downloaded what you felt and thought and sent it to me when I touched it."

"So we're doomed to hear each other's thoughts and dreams unless we do something about it."

She nodded and looked at him, her eyes dark with an emotion that sent his pulse racing. He cleared his throat and tried to push himself up, but winced at the pain rushing through him.

"You should take it easy," Elizabeth said, her hand on his shoulder. "You were barely alive when we found you. I thought we were going to lose you."

You won't be getting rid of me that easily, he thought and he heard her laugh.

"I don't want to get rid of you," she said with a smile. "We're stuck together."

"That's good to hear," Rodney said.

"Good," she said, running her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes at the sensation, electricity jolting through him. A moment later, soft lips pressed against his. His eyes flew open in surprise.

She's kissing me! Rodney thought, not caring that she heard what he thought.

Elizabeth smiled against his mouth then pulled away. The emotion returned to her eyes. Warmth flooded his being and before he knew what he was doing, he pulled her against him, taking her mouth with his.

He heard a moan, but didn't know who it came from. He didn't care as he deepened the kiss, his hands burying themselves in her hair. She opened her mouth and his tongue danced with hers. Her hands roamed down his chest and a shiver went through him.

A throat being cleared sent them flying apart. Rodney glared at the intruder even as he basked in the knowledge that he had finally kissed Elizabeth for real.

"What do you want, Radek?" Rodney snapped irritated with the man.

Zelenka cleared his throat again and adjusted his glasses. Rodney rolled his eyes at the man's nervousness, but Radek finally spoke.

"We put the artifacts together…"

"You did what?" Rodney asked, stunned. "Without me?"

"You weren't available and the doctor said to wait. So we waited. Now I'm telling you what we discovered."

"Well, get on with it."

Radek looked to Elizabeth who shrugged. "Go ahead."

"A hologram appeared and spoke of another address. It mentioned the power source at it can be found there."

"About time," Rodney said, trying again to sit up. He winced and sighed. "Where is it and can we go there?"

"Colonel Sheppard's team is ready to go as soon as Dr. Weir wants them to go."

"I'm on Sheppard's team!" Rodney said, finally sitting up despite the pain. "I should be going as well."

Elizabeth put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down. He stared at her, a retort on his tongue, but the concern in her eyes stopped him. He sighed, knowing what she'd say before she said it.

"You were in a coma, Rodney," she said softly. "You're not going anywhere."

Rodney stared at the ceiling, fighting the urge to complain. She was right. He was still in pain from what those barbarians did to him. He doubted he'd be of much help anyway. He sighed, folding his arms across his chest.

"Fine," he grumbled. "I'll stay here."

"Good," Elizabeth said and he heard the smile in her voice. He looked at her, shaking his head.

"I am so screwed," he said, bringing a laugh from her.

"What do you mean there's nothing there?" Rodney yelled, not caring how many people heard. "Did you even go to the right planet?"

"Yes, Rodney, we went to the right planet," Sheppard said, glowering down at him. He glared right back, too angry to be intimidated by John. Course, he'd never been intimidated by him. "We followed the directions the hologram provided, but there was nothing there. It's gone."

Rodney sighed. If only he wasn't stuck in this bed, he'd go himself. He promised Elizabeth and he hurt too damn much to do so. He grumbled to himself which caused Sheppard to smirk.

"Oh, you just love this, don't you?" Rodney snapped. "I'm stuck here and you get to fly all over the galaxy."

"Well, it was nice not hearing you complain the whole time."

"See if I save your butt next time."

"Enough, both of you," Elizabeth said, bringing their attention to her. Rodney almost forgot she was in the room. Only her nearness told him she was there. She held his hand and he squeezed hers, letting her know he was thankful she was there.

"She's right," Carson said, stepping in front of Sheppard, successfully pushing him out of the way. "Rodney needs to rest."

"His mouth seems to be fine," Sheppard put in.

"John," Elizabeth said in a warning tone.

"Elizabeth, he knows I'm kidding. He's used to it."

"One can only take so much kidding," Carson put in, finished with checking Rodney's vitals. "You both need to leave, so he can get some sleep."

"Right," Elizabeth said, standing. She offered Rodney a smile, which he returned. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Thanks," Rodney whispered as Elizabeth led Sheppard out of the infirmary.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen **

Rodneystrode into Elizabeth's office. She looked up from her laptop and smiled at him. He returned her smile, his heart racing at the beautiful woman before him. He closed the gap between them as she stood.

"You're looking better," she said as she came around her desk. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," he said, itching to touch her.

"Good," Elizabeth said, her voice breathless. "I'm glad."

Rodney stepped closer and stared into her eyes. They were dark with emotion and his arousal grew. His mouth became dry and his heart raced. Not able to stand it any longer, he pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips against hers. She melted into him, opening her mouth to him. He took that as invitation and thrust his tongue into her mouth. Their moans blended together, sending fire burning through him.

Elizabeth's fingers ran through his hair, sending chills down his spine. He walked her back until she bent over her desk. He trailed kisses down her face and neck as her hands traveled down his back.

"Rodney," she whispered and he groaned at the sensations her voice caused.

Rodney ran his hands into her dark tresses. He pulled her closer to him, tasting her as their tongues danced together. He moaned into the kiss as his arousal grew. He moved his lips to her jaw then her neck. He heard her moan his name as he felt her hands move over his chest.

Elizabeth pulled Rodney's shirt off, tossing it to the floor. She then ran her hands over his chest savoring the feel of his skin. She moved her lips to his jawline where she began to first lick then nibble.

He stared into her eyes which were now as dark as a forest at night. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply.

Elizabeth frantically unbuttoned his pants as she returned his

kiss.

Rodney tugged her top off, and tossed it aside. Her pants were next, followed by her bra and underwear. He took a breast in his mouth as Elizabeth removed his underwear. He stood up then and stepped out of the pool of clothes at his feet. He pushed her laptop to the side and carefully lifted Elizabeth off the floor He gently lied her down on the desk. He stared deep into her eyes as he stroked her face.

A sudden wave of tenderness came over Rodney at that moment. He

had never loved her more than at this moment. He bent

down and gently kissed her on the lips. The kiss became deeper,

but no less gentle. He kissed every part of her face as she

moaned his name.

"Take me, Rodney. Now," Elizabeth breathed into his ear.

Rodney growled in response as he moved her legs apart. He

slowly entered her, causing her to moan with pleasure.

Elizabeth wrapped her legs around his waist as he began to move

inside her. Rodney increased his tempo as Elizabeth's muscles tightened around him. He kissed her on the lips, cheek, and neck. He returned to her mouth as he felt himself draw closer to the edge. Elizabeth dug her nails into his skin as his thrusts came faster. Suddenly, she screamed his name almost making Rodney wince. He thrust into her one last time before he released into her.

Rodney woke up in darkness, the silence almost deafening. All he heard was his heavy breathing, his heart pounding in his chest. He ran a hand through his hair, wondering if Elizabeth had the same dream.

Yes, came his answer and he sighed.

Sorry, he thought as he lied back against the pillows. I can't help it.

It's all right, Elizabeth said, a smile in her voice. It only proves to me how much you care.

Rodney groaned, wishing he could sink deeper into the bed. He heard her laughter and he only groaned again.

"Are you all right, Rodney?" Carson's voice brought his attention to where he was. He opened his eyes, blinking against the brightness of the room. He groaned again, wanting the darkness back.

"I'm fine," Rodney grumbled as Carson checked him over. "Just talking to Elizabeth."

"You can still hear her thoughts?"

"And share the same dream," Rodney said, wanting to sink into the floor again. "There has to be something we can do. We can't keep this up."

"Tell her how you feel, Rodney. You should have done it the first time."

Rodney shook his head. He knew Carson was right and he needed to tell Elizabeth. He knew she probably figured out how he felt about her, but saying it meant more. He sighed and nodded.

"Good," Carson said, smiling.

"When can I get out of here?" Rodney asked, holding back the irritation from his voice.

"In a couple of days, if you behave."

Rodney rolled his eyes, closing them as Carson left.

Rodney opened his eyes again to see Elizabeth sitting beside him. She was beautiful, like an angel watching over him. He reached out to her and she took his hand in hers. She squeezed it as she leaned closer to him.

"How are you feeling?" She asked softly.

"Much better, now that you're here," he answered returning her squeeze.

Elizabeth smiled and the warmth flooded his body. He would never get enough of her and he didn't want to.

"I love you, Elizabeth," he said softly.

Elizabeth squeezed his hand again and he smiled, feeling on top of the world.

Three days later, Rodney was released from the infirmary much to both Carson and Rodney's relief. He felt better than he had in months and he had Elizabeth to thank for that. He smiled of the thought of going to see her. He couldn't wait to hold her in his arms and finally bring his dreams to reality.

He hadn't had a dream since he had told her his feelings. He hadn't heard her thoughts either. He didn't know if he should be happy about it or worried. He'd give it some time and decide then.

"Rodney," Elizabeth's voice stopped him.

He blinked and found himself in front of the door to her room. He stared at her as she leaned against the door frame, her arms folded. He cleared his throat, trying to hide the embarrassment he felt. He put his hands behind his back, hoping he gave the appearance of calm.

"Elizabeth," he said. "I'm out."

"I can see that," Elizabeth said, smiling.

His cheeks burned and he doubted it was from arousal. He glanced away, wishing for a Wraith attack or something to go wrong in the lab. Anything to kill the nervousness he felt.

"Want to come in?" Elizabeth asked, stepping away from the door.

He blinked, his heart racing at what she offered. He cleared his throat as he stepped into her room. The nervousness grew, but he forced it down. This was Elizabeth. She knew how he felt about her and they shared each other's thoughts and dreams. He knew what he was getting into, yet he was still nervous.

"I haven't had an erotic dream in a couple of nights," Elizabeth said as she closed the gap between them. "What about you?"

"No," Rodney answered as he enclosed her in his arms. "I can't hear what you're thinking, either. It's strange. I was just getting used to it."

Elizabeth rested her head against his chest. Calmness washed over him. He loved her being in his arms and he wished they could stay like this forever.

"I know," she said as her arms went around him, enfolding him in her warmth. "I kept expecting your voice inside my head at any moment. I almost miss it."

Rodney smiled against her hair, knowing how she felt. He closed his eyes, breathing in her scent and nearness.

"I love you so much," he whispered as he pulled back to look at her. "You'll never know how much."

Elizabeth smiled, cupping his face in her hands. He stared into her eyes and saw the love for him there. So much emotion filled him he thought he would burst. He took a deep breath and took her lips with his. The taste of her filled his very being, sending a wave of fire surging through him. His hands buried themselves in her hair as he deepened the kiss, wanting more of her.

She opened her mouth and his tongue searched out hers. He moaned into the kiss, hands exploring her body. She stepped closer to him, their bodies almost merging. His arousal grew and he wanted to fill her against him. He pulled her shirt off, tossing it against the wall. Her bra was next and he dropped it to the floor. He took a moment to gaze at her and his breathing grew rapid.

"Elizabeth," he gasped, barely able to get the word out.

Elizabeth smiled and removed her pants, keeping his gaze with hers. He removed his clothes, letting them fall where they may. He took her in his arms again, moaning at the sensation of their skin touching.

He picked her up, amazed at how light she was and carried her to the bed. He laid her down, following after her. He kissed every part of her, loving the sounds she made. He took a breast into his mouth, smiling at the gasp that escaped from her.

"Rodney, please," she moaned and he almost lost it then.

Rodney didn't have to ask if she was sure. Her voice told him

everything. He heard her gasp as he entered her.

She moaned as Rodney moved inside her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, driving him deeper inside her.

Rodney felt her fingernails dig into his shoulders as he thrust

faster and deeper into her. He had dreamed of this for weeks and now he was actually doing it for real. He couldn't believe it, but it was wonderful.

"Rodney!"

Rodney thrust fiercely as he felt her muscles close around him. She felt so good. He never felt anything like this before.

"Elizabeth," he moaned into her ear. She cried out as she fell over the cliff into ecstasy. Rodney thrust one last time before he released into her, joining her in their cries of passion.

Elizabeth woke to a warm body beside her. Startled, she glanced toward her left and saw Rodney McKay lying next to her. She smiled to herself as she watched him sleep. He looked so peaceful as if nothing in the world bothered him. She hoped she would see more of it as she touched his face.

Rodney opened his eyes and her heart soared at the sight of his blue eyes.

"Morning," she whispered as she ran her fingers through his hair. He shivered in response and she smiled.

"Morning," he returned sleepily. "Sleep well?"

"Wonderfully," Elizabeth said, her fingers traveling down his chest. Her eyes followed and her mouth became dry.

"Elizabeth," Rodney said, his voice husky. "We have to get to work."

"Spoil sport," she said as she raised her eyes to meet his. "I don't know if I want to let you leave this bed."

Rodney laughed, his arms wrapping around her, pulling her close. She loved the feel of his arms around her. She felt safe and warm. She placed her head against his chest, not wanting to leave. She heard his heart and she closed her eyes.

"They can wait awhile longer," he said, his hands moving down her back, bringing her temperature up.

"They can," she agreed and brought his lips down to meet hers.

END


End file.
